Death Rising Among Us
by TheIncredibleDancingBetty
Summary: Zombies appear on the horizon and like the rest of the world the turtles are forced to cope and survive. Their bonds and their bodies will be tested to the limits. Will they make it? BLOODGORE Individual TMNT POV anonymous reviews welcome IT'S DONE! YAY! PLEASE READ!
1. Visit to April's

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: This is my first attempt at a crossover. If you could call it that. It is taken from a very popular horror genre where countless movies were made. It also happens to be one of my favorite: Zombies. I'm warning you right now, though, there is the possibility that this story **WILL** get bloody/gorey in the near future, and likely stay that way. Zombies and gore? Unlikely combination, I know. :)

This will be written in everyone's POV. Each chapter will be the POV of a different TMNT character. I'm going to be sticking to just the turtles and Splinter, though, unless anyone requests otherwise. The POV character will be written before the start of each chapter.

Chapter 1

Visit to April's

I have often thought of telling this story, I have pictured it so clearly in my mind that I swore that when the decision came it would be a simple thing. How I kid myself. For now that the story is about to begin, I can scarcely find the proper words. How do you tell such a story? It is a story of frendship and family, horror and romance, excitement and sadness, along with an ample supply of flesh eating dead people. Some of you might find this story offensive and disgusting, others intoxicating and spellbinding. Others simply may not give a hoot. Well, whichever group that you belong to it does not matter.

Either way the story that I now tell you is the truth, or at least from what I heard. I was there for most of it, but not all of it. Including the beginning, where the main characters set the stage. The main characters are not human, in fact they are genetically mutated turtles, something which I know a surprisingly good amount about considering what I am. Despite their lack of physical humanity, it is them that will set the center stage and them who will perform the closing act, and display the abject humanity that exists in their very souls.

But I digress. This is all about starting a story, is it not? And where better to start than the beginning...

* * *

I hoisted my bag over my shoulder alongside my bostaff as I walked down the sewers. To many the rancid waters might offend delicate nostrils, but I had grown up in this swill of human waste and was used to it by now. Not that I really liked it, but it was home. 

This time, I brave the sewers to see April. I haven't seen her at all in a week. The reason? Master Splinter saw fit to give us an extra long training session out in the wilds, i.e. Casey's Grandma's. We did everything 'as it was supposed to be' as he put it. What this meant is that we had no weapons, no canned food, no shelter. And no technology. We had to come up with all these things on our own, and in pairs of two's we played a militant version of 'capture the flag' in between sessions of running and sparring. We could be 'killed' and had to remain so until the next day. The winners got to sleep in the farmhouse and had a bath.

Yeah, you could say that the competition was tough. Or at least it turned that way when mosquito bites covered your arm. I was surprised that my group won as much as I did. Mikey can be a bit trying at times, but during the course of the week I saw some of his more 'athletic' nature. Plus he easily accepted my plans better than my other brothers probably would have. Leo and Raph probably would have won more if they didn't stop their bickering. But there's simply no stopping those two when they get at it. I'm surprised that there wasn't blood shed from them being at each other's throats so much. I'm sure that Sensei hoped to cool their tempers towards each other by making them a team, but personally I'm not sure it was the wisest of decisions. I'm surprised that they both walked out inact after that.

In any case, we were glad to be home. We got back at the blackest part of the night, everyone passed out exhausted except for me, the driver. I used a route that we know isn't traveled very much since we weren't exactly in peak form. Even still, the city seems quieter than it usually is. And other things seemed off place. Like the sudden lack of homless people. The stench in the air that reminded me somewhat of rotting flesh, yet with another distinct, yet unrecognizable aroma. It perplexed me. Something was wrong. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Couple that with the phone calls, and it's downright disturbing. Yes, phone calls. Since weren't allowed technology on our training session, I never had access to my shell cell. I had fifteen messages. All in the past two days. And according to the posted number, all of them from April.

Yes, it was more than disturbing. The worst of it was, none of the actual messages seemed to go through. I got a bunch of static and what sounded like deep throated growls of some sort. This, of course, was underlied with the same static. None of my filters could pick anything substantial out of them. I had no idea what to make of it.

We were all completely exhausted by the time that we got home. Even when we got to sleep in the farmhouse, we still got very little time to sleep on top of our physically strained bodies. Everyone was asleep as I drove us home, and everyone collapsed in their beds as soon as home was reached. I don't know. Call me a techno geek, call me obsessive compulsive, but there are things that I must do before I go to bed. I checked the lab. I checked my systems. Checked the security protections. And finally, I checked my messages. Of course, the first thing I tried to do was to call her back. But my calls didn't go through. It was as though all communications were down, something that scared me.

Everyone was in a dead sleep. For the first time in a long time, Leo was a heavy sleeper. None of the others were easily aroused either, though I didn't even try Sensei; he got less sleep than the rest of us. I'll admit that I might not have tried as hard as I could, but everyone was tired. And April was anything but defensless. I'd hate to wake everyone up only to find out that she had a new electronic toy eager to show off or something.

But I'm a fairly capable turtle. A ninja trained since I could walk. And I had a head to match. So why not investigate myself? Besides that, there's the possibility of some alone time with April.

So this is why I'm trudging through the sewer by myself, on my way to visit April's. It was nearing four in the morning, and she normally gets up around five so I won't be waking her up too early.

I pressed my fingertips against the manhole cover, one that was on the same street as her apartment, listening for noise before silently moving it aside. Even then, I peered about the street above before actually climbing out and replacing the cover without noise.

The same feeling that I had before struck me again as I crouched beside the closed manhole cover for a moment, listening into the darkness. I couldn't hear a thing. Not traffic from neighboring streets, no one yelling at one another in the distance, no dogs barking or cats knocking over trash cans. A cold chill went through my insides. Something was definetly out of place.

As though an answer to my thoughts, a cat screamed suddenly and barrelled into a row of trash cans, knocking them over with a loud cacophony. I started, staggering backward before regaining my dignity.

Something shuffled through the garbage behind me. I whipped around, bostaff in hand. Man, did everything come to life just because I came out?

A cadaverously thin man struggled out of under several bags of trash. He stared at me, eyes unblinking, mouth agape. It was like he couldn't see me. Seeing the white, scraggly hair and the stained oversized clothes practically labeling him as homeless, I lowered my bostaff.

I was about to dissappear when I got closer look at him. He still stared at me and had yet to blink once. He was still struggling with some trash covering his waist. He looked sick, his skin was pale and loose, his eyes sunken, some sort of fluid dribbled out of his eyes and mouth. He moaned harshly, as though he were having trouble breathing. The entire effect was just as unnerving as the complete silence.

I was about to ask the homeless man if he needed help when he finally got out of under the trash.

I could see why he had so much trouble. The man was missing the lower half of both his legs.

Crying out, I staggered back straight into another garbage can. I fell into it halfway, falling down with it. My heart thudding against my chest so hard it hurt, I scrambled to my feet. "Sir! Sir! Please, let me help!" I clung against the wall. What could have done this to him?

He didn't answer, but instead started crawling, dragging himself by his hands straight towards me. His eyes were locked on me, still not blinking, with singleminded determination. With abject horror I looked down at the rest of him. There was no blood. No fresh blood, in any case. Instead only torn muscle, sinew, and tendon was dangling from his two fleshy stumps like red weeds, his pants leg stained with dried blood. The shiny butt of his femur protruded form one, his patella dangled off the other, held on by a few strands of tendon.

With pale, cold fingers he grasped my ankle and brought his mouth to my skin. With a cry I instinctively kicked him full in the face, yanking my leg from his grip. His head whipped back until I could hear the audible _snap_ of his vertebrae. But his other hand was already reaching for my leg once more even while his head lolled listlessly to the side. Spinning my bostaff, I rammed the end into the side of his head and used the other end to propell myself over his prostrate form.

No sooner had I landed in the street than several human figures burst out of neighboring alleys. They staggered to a halt, seeming somewhat loose-jointed. Swinging thier heads over in my directions they all screamed and charged me at a manic pace.

This was the last thing that I was expecting.

Tightening my grip on my bostaff, I waited for them to come. As they passed under a fading streetlight and I got a glimps of them, my resolve deepened. They looked the same as the homeless man, sunken eyes, empty gaze, pale skin...it must be an epidemic of some sort, one that drives people mad? Several of them had horrible wounds. One had a sizeable chunk missing from his forearm, another had half the skin missing from his bloody face with an eyeball dangling out of his socket from the optic nerve. They all looked horrible.

I smacked them aside with my bostaff, using powerful blows. I heard bones snap. But at least they weren't lethal. Then they could live to get treatment.

They were batted aside easily enough, it helped that there were only a couple of them. And that they made no real attempt to defend themselves. They seemed minless, almost, didn't even flinch as the hard wood struck their flesh. But they showed no reaction to the painful blows, instead they whipped around and came after me once more with dogged determination. With a yell I smacked them again, this time aiming for their legs. They hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, but just as before immediately began to scramble forward with gaping mouths.

It was then that I spotted April's apartment. Turning my back on the sick people, I sprinted towards it. The people squealed and came after me, but I finally the running sessions we do paid off and reached it first. Leaping in the air, I grasped the ladder of the fire escape, using my momentum to swing myself up. Hooking the metal as I landed on the pads of my feet I yanked the ladder up behind me, far enough that they couldn't reach.

They ran to the wall under me, staring up at me with their listless eyes. They scratched at the brick so hard that their fingernails broke and peeled right off. Blood didn't even well to the surface of these fresh wounds. I winced but they didn't seem to notice. What could be happening to these people? They didn't answer or say any audible word, simply reached for me with their hoarse moaning, mouths gaping open, gory wounds painfully obvious in the glittering moonlight.

It was then that I heard another person scream. Not an unemotional, mindless animal scream like that of these sick people, but an honestly terrified scream. Then a man tore out of an alleyway about a hundred yards away. He sprinted down the street, being pursued by several sick behind him. But he didn't know about the sick people who'd chased me to the fire escape. He ran straight towards us. I grasped the bars of the fire escape. "STOP! STOP! RUN! They're here too! STOP!" he did, looking around in a panic. Quickly forgetting me, the sick sprinted towards the man. He saw them immediately and hesitated, torn between which way to go.

He hesitated too long.

They hit him like a battering ram. He was knocked completely off his feet. Then something happened that I didn't expect. Never in my nightmares or in my experiences had I seen something like this.

They tore into him.

Literally.

He screamed as their fingers dug into his abdomen, peircing into his skin and deeper, pulling out things that were meant to stay inside. Arterial blood spurted hot into the air as the sick people scooped up the flesh in their hands and shoved in into their mouths before going for more. The man screamed into the night, thrashing wildly. Teeth sunk into his limbs, his chest, his face. Flesh and blood were gulped down like the finest ambrosia. The screams of the man were getting weaker. He was dying even as they were being eaten to death.

I couldn't stand it.

Before I realized what I was doing, I found myself grasping the ladder with every intention of pushing it down and helping him.

Then a hand touched my shoulder.

Grasping the wrist harshly, I whipped around, fist at ready until I saw April's scared face. "I tried to call you, Donny. I tried." She whispered, touching my face lightly as she purposely turned my face away from the man getting eaten alive.

"April, what the hell's going on?" Sometimes it's better not to get up in the morning.

* * *

A/N: So how was my first chapter? The beginning was lacking in action, I know, but I hope that I made up for it. The next chapter will be in the POV of another turtle, so you'll have to wait to see what happens to Donny and April. Please review and let me know what you think, kay? 

Toodles!


	2. Leatherhead

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I was wondering how many out there would be attracted to a bit of zombie action! I'm really stepping it up a couple of notches in terms of action, drama and such in the chapters from here on out. I hope that you enjoy these as well.

Chapter 2

Leatherhead

As you can now tell, things aren't going too well for Donatello. I could include the whole of New York in that description as well, I suppose. At this point, none of them are entirely sure what is going on, and it's the finding out that will be the first shocker. Followed quickly by two others. What am I speaking of? You'll find out what I am speaking of in a little bit. I'm not sure that you will like it, either. Well, in any case, I suppose that you are curious as to what is happening to the rest of the turtle family? I shall be happy to enlighten you. We will be getting back to the happenings of Donatello later. Picture the setting in their Lair. The red banded turtle, Raphael, awoke at least five hours after Donatello. Surprisingly, he wasn't happy...

* * *

I'm not exactly sure what woke me up, but as soon as I was awake, I wanted to go back to sleep. My friggin body hurt like hell. Sore and stiff as all getup. The week of training wasn't too bad, it would've been better if I hadn't been paired up with Fearless Leader so much. I don't know what was going through Master Splinter's head when he did that. In any case, I'm proud that I resisted the urge to punch him in the head repeatedly. I only punched him once that I can recall...

Rolling over in my hammock, I struggled angrily with the blanket, trying to get a more comfortable position. The damn thing refused to cooperate. Kicking out my legs, I rolled over again.

plop!

There goes my damn pillow. For a few seconds I tried to do without, but after a crick rapidly formed in my neck, I furiously swung my arm to the floor to snatch the thing up. Smart me. The movement coupled with me being unprepared was enough to make me roll a complete 360 and end up crashing face first on the floor. Snarlling I pounded the floor with my fist, ignoring the pain. Why the hell couldn't I go to sleep?! It's like something's preventing me or something!

Propped up on my hands I stared at the floor for a moment before finally realizing that sleeping right now with my quick heartbeat the way it was, was out of the question. Growling in denial, I picked myself up off the floor and stretched, wincing as my sore muscles protested. Scratching lazily, I picked up my sai and lumbered out of my room.

The main area was still pretty quiet. I could see the light on in Leo's room and some scuffling. Probably getting ready to get up, doing all those stupid morning excersizes and stuff. Mikey was still snoring in his room and not a sound came from Splinter's place. Heeding my growling belly, I loped to the kitchen to make myself a sandwhich. I was halfway through the thing when I noticed the note on Don's door. Going over to it, I peered at the neatly handwritten note and read it:

Guys,

Tried to wake you. It is now 5:00am, went to April's. Got some messages from her, but phone service is not working. Be back soon.

Don.

Five, isn't that about when we got back? Squinting, I looked at the clock. It was almost one in the afternoon. I glanced around. All the lights were still off. No sign of my purple banded brother. Just to be sure I called out for him. "Donny?" Nothing. "Don? Donny?" Silence. "**DON!**" Nothing moved. Something didn't feel right. This wasn't like Don.

Leo's door opened and he stepped in front of me. He looked refreshed, as usual. He glared at me. I glared right back. Normally we weren't that bad together, but after a solid week of being stuck together like we were, there was a definite strain between us now. Surprisingly, his temper was no better than mine right now. Planting his hands on his hips, he started his lecture. "What do you think you're doing, yelling like that? You might wake up Master Splinter. You know he got the least amount of sleep out of all of us. Why don't you..."

"Shut up!" He looked startled, then opened his mouth to protest. Gnashing my teeth, I interrupted him before he was able to say a word. "Don's gone." His mouth nearly closed and he looked at me, confused. I sighed. "There's a note on his door saying he left at five, but it's almost one now and we ain't got no word from him yet."

Looking at the time, Leo looked startled. I grinned despite myself. This was probably the latest he's ever slept.

Without sparing me a glance he went over to Donny's door to inspect the note himself. I balled my fists.

But after that it was down to business. Together we did a quick and thorough search of the Lair to be sure that we didn't miss him. Then I thought of switching on the telecom link to Leatherhead's to see if he was there. When we turned it on, the link was still on from before, giving us a somewhat static filled picture of his lab.

It wasn't what we wanted to see.

In the distance the doors to Leatherhead's place was wide open, something he did often when he was there to 'circulate air.' The lab itself was in complete dissarray, as though some fight went on. Why do I automatically think fight, you say? Because there was blood on the floor. And I don't mean a little bit of blood, but a lot. Like someone spilled a gallon or so. On top of that, there was pieces of what I could only describe as guts. Chunky, squishy, red guts. Both of us were silent as we studied the gruesome picture. Finally Leo broke the silence and leaned into the speaker. "Leatherhead? Don?" Nobody answered the sound link. We tried nonetheless, again and again and again.

We were about to give up when someone finally answered, and not the someone that we were expecting.

A human ran into the picture, swinging his limbs wildly, looking aroung like a half starved, half crazed predator. He was moving completely unnatural, stiff yet painfully loose. Like a scuttling bug. But it was his appearance that struck us hard. His skin was unbearably pale and loose, his eyes dark, unblinking and sunken, mouth gaping and hungry, he seemed cacked with dirt and dried blood. And then there was his wound. We didn't see it at first, his lower half was cut off by the screen. But as he moved and got into better view, both of us gasped. His abdomen was laid open. Things...thick bloody things...were hanging from the open wound. What could've only been an intestine trailed on the ground several feet behind him like the leash of a dog who'd escaped its master. The other thing was, other than the dried blood on his skin and clothes, there was no fresh blood. None. With a wound like that, you'd expect it to be gushing, spurting, oozing...something!

I was dumbfounded. You would've thought that a wound like that would've hurt, too, but no. The shirtless man walked around as though he were in prime condition, all the wile with his intestine dragging itself in the dirt.

He started at our gasp, since it came through on the speaker. Like a thing possessed he whipped around to face us with his glazed eyes and gaping mouth. In a quick, jointed burst he practically ran into the camera, biting it several times like a dog attacking a bone. We grimaced as the damp mouth filled with black gums covered the lense. Of course nothing happened. Grabbing the camera, he tried even harder to chomp down on it. After a few more bites I guess he decided that it wasn't tasty enough and slowly stalked out of the way.

Leo and I looked at each other. We were both pale as ghosts. What had just happened? The question echoed deep in both of our eyes.

"You know what we have to do..."

I turned away swiftly, stomping with balled fists. Of all the f#king things to wake up to! "Shit!"

Leo continued. "We need to find out if Leatherhead's alright and find Don."

"Of all the funky loving shit!" I kicked the air.

Already turning around to wake the others, he said what I expected. "Get ready, Raph. We're leaving."

"SHIT!"

* * *

The second we woke Mikey and he saw the tape all he could talk about was zombies. It was enough to make me want to smack him. Zombies weren't real, I told him. He'd retort back with asking me what I thought that thing was. I was ticked that I couldn't give an adequate answer.

Splinter just nodded and told us to go, that he would stay and meditate for us, and to return quickly and safely. He was quiet and serious, but still tried to give us reassuring smiles, telling us that it would all be all right. I think that he was a lot more troubled than he let on. His hands were trembling as he bade us goodbye. I'm not sure what he expected and it made me uneasy. We turned to look at him one more time. Standing tall and proud with his old stick and worn out robe, he banged his tail on the floor and said simply "Never forget that I love you, my sons."

My throat felt kind of funny after that.

Luckily Leatherhead's place wasn't that far away so we headed out on foot. If need be, we could reach the warehouse quickly. It might sound strange, but the sewers seemed especially quiet. Each drip seemed to echo on for miles. It took both Leo and I rounding on Mikey to make him stop blabbering about zombies. Honestly, I think that we were scared that he just might be right. What if zombies really could exist? I mean, we've seen movies, we laughed and got scared a few times, but it wasn't real, right? It couldn't be...then again Sensei says that every myth and story has some grain of truth behind it. But it just couldn't be...

We approached Leatherhead's place cautiously. The doors, like we saw in the telecom, were open. Swords drawn, Leo peered into the area for a good second before finally motioning us in. The lab was just as trashed as we saw on the telecom. There were several bodies lying on the floor, ones we could only assume to be dead. They were too far into the lab for us to feel safe investigating anyway. The pool beside the space was tinged with blood.

I don't recall a time where we ever stepped so lightly. But it didn't last. With Mikey so nervous, I'm surprised it lasted for as long as it did. A broken lamp, dangling off the table by half a chord, finally gave into gravity and fell to the floor with a crash. Mikey jumped out of his skin with a high pitched yelp.

No sooner had the sound been made, than a familiar face poked above one of the tables. He locked his eyes on us for a brief second before screaming horribly and charging us, dangling intestines and all. We clung to the wall and tightened our grips on our weapons.

Eyes staring at the human's face, Leo couldn't seem to bring up his swords to the unarmed man right away. Instead, as the man leapt towards us, Leo flipped back, landing a solid kick to the guy's chest. He staggered back a few steps from the bone-snapping blow, only to charge right back at us as though nothing happened. As though to warn him again, Leo slashed his sword in the air. The gutless idiot ran right into the flashing blade. The steel carved into his chest like butter, opening up his shoulder to the point that his left arm gave out, probably from having all the muscles and tendons and stuff severed. Brownish colored blood glistened in the light.

Once again, other than allowing the blow to affect his momentum, the guy just wasn't phased. Leo raised his swords above his head.

By now Mikey was behind me, pounding on my shoulders and shouting in my ears like an overcaffeinated wild thing. "Theheadtheheadtheheadtheheadthehead!"

I tried to shoulder him off. "Mikey, put a sock in it!"

He continued to pound, eyes wild and voice insistent. "Leo! LEO! The head! THE HEAD!"

It sank in just as the swords did. Crossing them like a pair of scissors, Leo swiped both of them simotaneously at the guy's neck. His head flew off his shoulders as though it had hever been attatched. Old looking blood flew into the air in thick clots. At the same time he kicked at the thing's chest again to keep the body from falling on him.

Of course, in all the comics and movies that's what it was. The head. Where the hell did these things come from? They couldn't simply be the product of mass media...not now.

The body twitched for a bit on the floor before lying still but the severed head continued to rage. It eyeballed us and screamed it's hunger. With a cry Mikey stepped in front of it and swung at it with a nunchucku. The wood collided with the skull and the head flew out the door like a bloated, deformed golf ball. Panting hard, he looked at us. "I think it would be better not to touch it, _I _sure don't want to become a zombie!"

"Like we do, shell for brains?" I retorted hotly.

We had no time to relax. Several other screams erupted from further into the lab. Filing cabinets and tables overturned as several others appeared, each as sickly looking and bloody as the other one.

This time, readying for the attack, we met them halfway. With another clean sweep, Leo freed two of them from their heads, finishing off the things with stabs to the top once they landed, skewering them like fleshy onions. I thrust my sai into the underside of the throat of another, the long point of my weapon poking out the top of it's head. Wrenching my wrist before any of that sick-looking blood could get on me, I snapped it's neck with a downward motion before yanking my sai free.

Mikey had a bit more trouble with his nunchucku, which of course weren't designed to stab, slice or cut. At first he just rained blows on the thing's head like a drum, not doing much except splitting the flesh, bruising the skull, and slowing the thing down with the force of his blows. I was about to come help him when he spied a nearby pipe, hoisted it up, and drove the thing into it's head so hard that it entered the nose and shot out the back of the head, pushing out squishy brains with the force of it.

I stared at him for a moment as he stood over the twitching corpse, panting. He saw me looking and gave me a tentative smile.

A huge crash in the very back of the area made all three of us jump. A huge, hulking figure raised from a pile of broken furniture. It slowly turned to look at us. The weak electric light shone on his scaly skin and long snout. When we saw who it was we were ecstatic.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey jumped for joy and sprinted towards our crocadillian friend.

I looked at them, smiling to myself. Then I looked again, my smile falling. Was it just me or did Leatherhead look...sick? And what were those wounds all over his body? Looked a lot like bitemarks. His muscular frame seemed to hang, his mouth was open, then there was a familiar, tight swinging way he moved when he turned around... Oh no...

I took off as soon as Leatherhead did, both of us roaring for different reasons. Mikey stopped in his tracks, staring at him with disbelieving eyes. I sprinted towards them, every muscle straining. "MIKEY! MOVE! He's one too! MOVE!"

He didn't.

Mouth frothing, eyes vacant yet glaring, Leatherhead closed in, claws outstretched and mouth agape. Leatherhead might have been large and powerful, but he wasn't built for speed. I think that's the only reason why I made it there on time.

Leatherhead leapt and so did I.

I collided with Mikey and shoved him out of the way like a rag doll. I found myself right in Leatherhead's path a milisecond before he struck. He hit me like a semi truck. I was immediately knocked off my feet so swiftly I had whiplash and had the breath knocked right out of me. We landed on the ground hard, with me on bottom. The impact jarred me to my bones. As his full weight crashed upon me, I could feel creaking and crackling inside of me. We rolled swiftly across the floor, knocking over large, sturdy pieces of furniture. When we finally slowed, Leatherhead held me immediately brought me towards his gaping mouth, his head by luck getting wedged in a protective corner. From all the knocking around and getting squashed by someone four times my size, I felt weak as a kitten. Hell of a way to go.

Just as my arm fit into his mouth a blade appeared between the jaws and immediately started pushing on opposite sides of the top and bottom jaw like a carjack. Leo got closer to the crocodile's head for a better base with both hands clamped on the hilt of his sword and started kicking our former friend in the head repeatedly.

My breath seemed to return to my lungs and I tightened my arm. Twisting against the natural motion of his arm, I struggled to wrench myself loose. Bracing my feet on his cheeks, I pulled against him, trying to keep my arm from becoming croc food. Taking out my sai, I stabbed it into his forearm. Nothing. Again, again, again, again. Gaping, bloody wounds appeared up and down his arm as I struggled to free myself. He didn't seem to notice my attacks. Finally I hit the right spot, maybe a tendon or something, and his grip loosened. Wrenching myself free, I raised a sai to attack him.

It was about then that he rolled. Struggling and failing to keep my balance I rolled off of him. Leo snatched his sword up and scrambled out of the way to avoid being crushed by his massive weight. Mikey was immediately at my side.

"Raph, but it's Leatherhead!" He pleaded even as he inched away.

Wincing as sharp pain erupted from my ribs I stared after him. "Mikey, that ain't Leatherhead anymore."

Leatherhead again loomed in my direction, only to be distracted as a sword swiped mercilessly at his back. He swung back towards our blue-banded brother, roaring in a tone that I never heard before. Leo stared him down, single sword drawn in front of him. His eyes were locked with that of our old friend a distance from the entrance. "Raph, get out of here! I'll take care of him. You just take Mikey and Splinter and get the shell out of here!"

I shook my head. "Leo, I..."

He broke eye contact with Leatherhead for a brief second. "Do what I say and GO! I can see down the sewer from here, more are coming!"

"No way in hell that I'm leaving you, bro!" My sai sang as I yanked them into my palms. My torsoe screamed but I prepared to charge nonetheless.

No sooner had I spoken, then screams echoed down the sewers. Telltale hoarse, primitive, animal screams. Ah, shit. More of them. They were in the room before I knew what was happening. The doorway was in between us and Leo and that's where they came, effectively separating us. There were no more than twenty of them, but they were hard to fight nonetheless. They might not dodge, but they didn't react to pain, fear or caution either. They just came at you blindly, practically climbing over each other to get at you.

Sai flashing, I fought them off, but unless I made a crippling or brain-killing blow, they came coming like the mindless beings they were. Mikey fought besides me, his nunchuku's making sharp thuds against their skulls and painful cracks as he delivered bone-breaking blows to their limbs. Before I could tell in time to stop it, we were being driven slowly but surely to the back entrance. We were thigh-high in sewer water as we backed up against the onslaught, even as they dwindled in number.

Then there was only one more left. Stabbing a sai into each ear I wrenched the steel tips down and out of the zombie through the neck. It plopped into the water with the other bodies. Mikey and I looked at each other, nodded, and headed towards the entrance once more. Leo was still fighting Leatherhead, it seemed as most of the human zombies followed Mikey and I. We were nearly there, not even ten feet, when Leatherhead struck a wicked blow to Leo, causing our brother to fly through the air like a tennis ball. He hit the wall beside the entrance with a dull thud and slid to the ground. On the way, he touched something on the wall that beeped and buzzed a warning. Recognizing the sound immediately, Mikey and I quickened our sprints but to no avail. Leo turned to look at us as the mechanized door swung closed in his face and locked itself.

Mikey and I immediately threw ourselves against the door, pounding at it uselessly, calling out our brother's name. We got no response.

Screams and hoarse roars emanated from down the sewer line. I paused. There was no way in hell I was getting caught in a fight with those things in a dead end. Quickly I thought of the layout of the sewers in my mind. To get to the other entrance again, we'd have to pass by the Lair again. "Let's go get Master Splinter."

So we ran. Even as we saw zombies and passed them, we ran. We ran so hard we practically collided with the hidden entrance. Hurriedly finding the hidden switch the door swung open. I pushed the button to close it before the zombies rounded the corner. They were headed towards the door even before we reached it, they knew where we were going. The second the massive door came to a close, we heard bodies thump against it like bugs on a windshield. I couldn't help but wince at the sound. What could make people do this?

I whirled around and looked at the Lair. "SPLINTER! SPLINTER! MASTER SPLINTER!" I called. No one answered immediately so I called again, instinctively searching for the old rat that was our father.

We didn't find him. He wasn't there.

Commanding the telecomlink with anxious, shaking hands we again we brought up the image of Leatherhead's, calling frantically for Leo and Splinter. A woman zombie, screaming for flesh she didn't have, ran into the camera and fell to the ground. She got up again, looking more disoriented as she searched in vain for more flesh. We searched the screen with scared eyes. No sign of Leo, Splinter, or even Leatherhead. Couldn't hear anything that sounded like fighting in the background, either. Other than the shuffling zombies, all was quiet.

Hurriedly, we stumbled onto the buttons for the main security cameras placed about the sewers by Don. In every view there was at least one zombie. I cursed violently. Where the hell were they coming from! This was the _SEWER_ for God's sake! But the truth was there in those screens.

We both trembled in disbelief.

Don was gone.

Leo was gone.

And now Master Splinter was gone.

We were alone.

* * *

A/N: I hope that this chapter was somewhat enjoyable! I'm torn at whether or not to make the next chapter DonPOV or LeoPOV. Not sure which I want to do next, though they'll both be exciting, that's a gimmee! Please tell me what you guys think, give me critiques, opinions, predictions and whatnot. I'd be positively ecstatic to hear them!


	3. Letting Go

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Wow! People really seem to be liking this story, thanks for all the reviews! I hope that you like what Don has to say.

Chapter 3

Letting Go

Yes...I suffice to say the rest of Donatello's family is not doing any better, actually many would consider it worse. Of course, in order to tell their story I had to skip ahead a considerable amount of time, several hours in fact. During that time, Donatello has not exactly stayed put...he has been busy as well. Allow me to fill in the gap of time by going back to our dear purple banded turtle. The last time we visited him, he had just reached April's place. Understandably he was quite distraught. April's explanation of what was going on did not help much...

* * *

"Zombies?" I looked at her, mouth agape. "Zombies???" I repeated.

Elbows propped up on her knees, clutching her red hair in her hands, she shook her head, not meeting my astounded gaze. "I know, I _know_, it sounds nuts, but there simply is no other explanation that I can think of that can explain this!!!" She looked up at me with earnest bright green eyes. "I mean, you've seen the movies right? They display all the same symptoms and behaviors. They-"

"This _is not _the movies, April! For crying out loud, this is not the movies!" I paced her floor, frowning. "There _must_ be some sort of explanation! Some type of disease, an epidemic? A plague? You know the black plague would cause rounded black bumps the size of apples to form on your skin along with pain that drove you mad. Perhaps this is a strain between that and rabies, that would make animals attack each other... but then again it doesn't have that effect with people..."

She shot up and grabbed my arms. Her eyes bored into mine, hands shaking. "Donny! Listen, I have thought of the same things that are going through your head right now! It seems surreal even now, but I can't think of any other explanation. They don't have a disease, Donatello. They're _dead_. Before they started doing anything out of the ordinary, they _died_. No pulse, no breath, no life. They got back _up_ and started doing this! Started eating the flesh of other people, they're walking around with gaping injuries, yet they don't bleed. When they bite you, you become one of them. You get weak, you get sick, you die, then you walk around and eat people. It's f#king _crazy!_"

With that she tore away from me and walked stiffly to the wall where she propped her arm against it as she suppressed a shudder. I stared at her, still disbelieving. Then I noticed her for the first time since this crazy explanation began. She looked disheveled. Her hair, normally kept in a neat bun, was tied at the nape of her neck with a scrunchii. She also looked a bit thin, like she hadn't been eating well. She breathed in quick gasps and her hands wouldn't stop trembling.I reached my hand out to her, then hesitated. God, even now she was beautiful.

"When did this happen?"

She took a deep, haggard breath then wiped her face with her hands, collected herself and turned to me. "Well, we were hearing some strange things going on in other places, first around the urban part of New York. Then in the eastern states. There were rumors of something, but nobody knew for sure. People were dissappearing, it was obvious that the government was doing some sort of major cover up. They tried to make up some phony story about them volunteering for some special study but anyone who knew where to look could see that it was sloppy. They were working fast and desperate." Still shaking she stopped and shoved her fingers through her hair. "Before long it was just too late."

Shaking her head, she chuckled without amusement. "By the time that we realized what was going on, they seemed to be everywhere. I can't explain it, it was just like you turned around and suddenly there were a pack of zombies. Not a lot of people made it..." Looking into the distance, the edge of her mouth kicked up. "And it spread, I'll tell you that. I was watching the news, it's already spread across the continent and somehow had popped up in other countries like England, China, even Japan and Australia. How in the hell it did that, I have no idea. It is obviously spread through bites, but the very first case that I could find originated _here_." She shook her head again. "It's been hard obtaining more information ever since the computers and TV systems shut down."

Wringing her hands, she looked around nervously. "I didn't think that you would've come here, I wish that the messages would've gotten through, then you wouldn't have come here. I told you not to come for me in my messages." Pacing nervously, she looked at me uncertainly. "Maybe you should try to get the rest of the turtles, you know, considering the situation?"

I looked at her sharply and immediately she avoided my gaze. What was going on here? This wasn't like her. She was so jumpy, nervous, tired, even skittish. She should also know that we'd come for her no matter what. We wouldn't leave her alone. Wait...why was she alone?

"April...where's Casey?"

As if to answer my question there was a loud thumping on the wall, hard enough to make the hanging pictures shake. It was coming from another room inside the house. A loud screeching followed the blow.

My bostaff slipped into my hands as I got into fighting stance. Slowly, on the pads of my feet I crept across the room to the open door adjoining the hallway. I was startled when April suddenly latched herself onto my arm. And suddenly, I understood.

"Donny, no please! It was my fault, it shouldn't have happened! He only did it because of me, to protect me! This has nothing to do with him, nothing! We don't even need to bother him, we just stay quiet and he'll calm down, he will! I promise! We'll fing a cure, I've been thinking it over and there must be a cure, right?" Her eyes looked into mine, desparate and pleading; they sparkled with tears.

I looked down at her. I was at a loss for words. Another hard thump rattled the walls. I broke my gaze away from hers, painfull as it was. There was business to be dealt with. "April, where is he?" My voice was monotone. I couldn't believe that I was doing this. My heart thudded against my chest.

"No, please! Don't kill him, please!"

I looked down at her again as she pleaded with me. A lump formed in my throat. "But April...he's already dead."

A fresh burst of tears poured from her eyes as she sobbed. "I know! I know, it's just that...I can't bear to see it..."

It was then that I noticed the glint on her hand. Her ring finger, to be exact. A delicate gold band, topped with a modest but beautiful diamond. My heart plummeted. I couldn't do it. "It's all right, April. Just show me where he is."

She looked up at me, face still distraught. Green eyes searching mine, she saw something that made her nod hesitantly. Getting up and grabbing my hand lightly, she led me down the hall of her small apartment. I saw it immediately.

Her bedroom door was shut and several endtables and other furniture was shoved against it for extra protection. Even as we approached it the door shook on it's hinges as Casey threw himself into the wood with an animal growl. April and I stood staring at it for a good minute, even as my friend attacked the walls of April's bedroom in a hunger induced frenzy.

"When did it happen?"

April bit her lip, rubbing her arm. "Three nights ago." she whispered.

"When he gave you the ring?"

She covered her hand without thinking about it. Her cheeks were wet with tears. "Yes" she whispered hoarsly. "It was on the night he proposed." She sniffed loudly, her lower lip trembling. Then suddenly she burst out with loud laughter. "Do you know what he said when he did it?" She grinned at me, the memory fresh in her mind. "We were sitting on the couch, watching the news, eating chips. He reached over to grab one, but instead just-just dropped this ring in my hand. Then he said 'Well, babe, looks like the world's going to hell, so I better do this before anything else happens with us.'"

With trembling hands she wiped furiously at the tears on her face. The door shook so hard from another blow that the furniture barricading it scooted back a little, as though afraid. "They tried to get in, but he stopped them. He stopped them all, didn't want me getting near them so that I wouldn't get what they had...and I did what he said..." She clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. "Instead of helping him, instead of doing _something,_ I simply did what he said, and I did nothing. Now he's-h-h-he is like them."

I stayed silent as she spoke, staring at the door. When she was finished, I said aloud what both of us were thinking. "April...we can't leave him like this."

"Yes we can! He can't get at us from there, I locked him in!"

I shook my head. I just couldn't believe I was thinking of going through with this. "Maybe for now, but Casey's a big guy. And that door isn't very well put together. It's only a matter of time."

"We'll just reinforce it as time goes by. There's plenty of furniture-"

"April!" I turned to her, looking her straight in the eye. "Please, this isn't easy for me, either. But think about it, April, _think!_ If we keep him like he is, not only do we run the risk of him getting to us, but to someone else, too! Do you want him to bite some other innocent person?" Her chest heaved in a wracking sob as she crumpled to the floor. I went down with her, holding onto her shoulders for support. She crumpled onto my chest, I wrapped my arms around her tight, cradling her against me. "That's not Casey anymore, it's just his body taken over by something." Another shuddering sob ran through her. "We both know what we have to do."

"Put him down! Like a dog!"

"No, put his body to rest. Give him peace."

She stilled at that. "Do you really think that it would give him peace?" The door rattled again as a familiar voice screamed an unfamiliar scream. She shook her head against my chest. "He doesn't seem at peace now, I know I wouldn't want my body to go through that..." Looking up at me with huge green eyes, she chewed her lip hesitantly, then opened her mouth to answer.

A fierce crash interrupted our thoughts. My first instinct was to turn towards the room that Casey was in, but the sound didn't come from there. It came from the living room and it sounded a lot like broken glass.

Aw shell...

Inhuman screams filled the air along with the sound of crunching glass. My mind raced. Bedroom and livingroom exits were out of the question. That only left the kitchen and the bathroom. The kitchen was the best option. Then an idea struck me like a ten pound hammer. "April, quick! Matches!"

"Ah," she searched her pockets and produced a tiny matchbox, probably for the incense forever burning. Snatching them from her hand, I took one and with one deft move lit them all. The thing flamed in my hands. I tossed it on the carpet. Already the carpet fibers started to sizzle. Perfect.

At that very second the door splintered. A muscular arm shot out of the weakened area, practically blasting a hole in the cheap wood. Casey's face appeared as his fingers grasped the edge of the opening, glazed eyes mad with hunger. His grip tightened and a chunk of door tore away in his grasp. Wood fragments flew as he wedged his wide shoulders through the gap.

"C'mon!" I grasped April's forearm and yanked her to her feet, practically dragging her away. The fire that I had left behind had caught and I could hear the crackling as it ate up a portion of the wall. The zombies that had come in through the living room window were nearly at the hallway. They came into view just as Casey burst from the bedroom, who wasted no time in tripping over the stacked furniture.

The kitchen was clean, with a large parlor window to the side. It also had no door. Grasping my fist and bending my arm, I smashed it into the window. Cascades of broken glass showered on us. It hadn't even all fallen when I was shoving April bodily out the window. Once she had a firm grasp and was nearly out, I whirled around and twisted the knobs on all the stove burners and the oven. Blue flame leapt up and heat poured from the oven as I opened its door. I grew slightly dizzy as the gas filled the kitchen.

"DON! HURRY!"

I whirled around and saw the zombies come into view of the kitchen. I snatched a kitchen stool and hurled it at them. It struck the leading zombie in the head, knocking him over. The others, following so closely promptly tripped over it, falling in a messy pile.

Of course, the only one who had legs long enough to scramble over the teeming mass was Casey. Unblinking eyes zeroed in on me, mouth bloody, he lurched for me. I leapt backward, dashing through the window. It was a big window, but it proved the exact size of my shell. Midway through I got stuck.

Yelling, I reached for April. She grabbed hold of my hands and yanked. I could feel Casey's hands grasp my ankle. His teeth touched my skin. With the heel of my other foot I kicked at his head, praying I didn't clip him in the mouth and therefore contract the disease. The heat was building in the house, the smoke was visible outside...

Just then, like a popping cork, I came free. I landed heavily on April, enough that I flattened her completely to the ground with my shell. As I rolled off her she gasped for air, bug-eyed.

Casey went for the window, about the same time that three other infected did. Scratching and clawing at everything they could purchase with their fingers, they were wedged so tight that they couldn't budge. Casey screamed at me, eyes bulging, lips pulled past the gumline.

Grabbing April's arm, I made a quick scan, found that the immediate area was miraculously zombie free, and bolted down the fire escape. I dragged her so quickly behind me she nearly fell down the stairs.

I was waiting for it...I was waiting for it...I was waiting for it...

Then it came. About a half-block down the street the place exploded.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, odd place to end but if I didn't do it somewhere, then this chapter would be as long as the story itself probably. Next one I think that I'll go with Leo, whom in case you've forgotten we last saw with Leatherhead. PLEASE leave a review and let me know what you guys think, the input not only helps me improve my writing but also motivates me like a firecracker shoved up your...well...you know...


	4. The Answer I Didn't Want

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! Hope that you like this installment!

Chapter 4

The Answer I Didn't Want

Zombies. Nobody quite knows the effect that they can have on loved ones. We shall find out later exactly how April copes with the loss of Casey Jones, and how Donatello will cope with her coping. Wait...I'm afraid that that doesn't make much sense. Well, in any case, I shall put off continuing the tale of Michelangelo and Raphael for a bit in order to fill you in with Leonardo. For those of you who've forgotten, he was with his good crocodilian friend, Leatherhead...

* * *

My shell slammed painfully into the console on the wall. The buttons were pushed, and I knew what was going to happen. I landed hard on the floor and turned around in time to see the door shut on my two brothers as they sprinted to assist me. Maybe it was for the better, after all I don't want them to come into any danger.

The crocodile roared as he charged me, mindless glazed eyes boring straight onto me. Wincing as I got up, I took a fighting stance as my friend increased in speed. When he was within four feet from me I buckled my legs and rolled neatly out of the way. He didn't slow down but instead tried to do a sharp turn. His immense mass didn't agree with those types of maneuvers. He would've tripped if he didn't crash into the wall first. He slumped to the ground with a thunderous thud, leaving an impressionable dent on the brick and concrete wall.

He lay still at first. My hand tightened instinctevely on my katana. This was the perfect killing shot. A straight point to the brain. I looked at the prostrate crocodile, at his familiar face and my grip loosened. He was my friend. All that I could think about when I saw him was the times when we had helped each other, even saved each other. No, Leo, I thought to myself. He's a zombie, a reanimated corps. As much as it looks like him, he's not Leatherhead, at least not the one that you know. I steeled myself. With a shaky breath I approached him, katana raised.

I thought for a brief, wonderful second that maybe he was passed out, his head did take a particularly nasty whack, but no such luck. His fingers balled into fists as he slowly got up. His first try was a failure, his right arm buckling under his weight. The way he fell made him roll, too fast for me to see in time. His tremendous bulk moved towards me. Surprised, I tried to back up but tripped on a broken chair. Scuttling like a crab, I tried to move out of the way before he realized I was still there. I almost thought that I'd cleared him, until the elbow of his flopping arm crunched painfully on the outer toe of my left foot. Crying out, I yanked hard on it several times until I was free, probably doing more damage than good.

He had hit the ground hard, but in the commencing roll managed to gain his feet. His right arm all but dangled uselessly. It wasn't broken, but it looked dislocated. He slammed into the wall hard enough.

Paying no attention to his painful injury, he roared at me and charged again. I darted this way and that, struggling to keep free of those immense claws and teeth. I knew that if he got a firm grip on me with those, then I'd be history. He might be big, but he was in no means slow. I had to move fast to avoid him.

Darting for the furniture I stepped lightly on it, leaping swiftly off of broken tabletops and overturned chairs. There was a faint thought in the back of my mind about something wrong with my left foot, but I was too pumped full of fight-or-flight adrenaline to notice anything but the reptile. Leather head plowed right through them, managing only to stumble on the clunky furniture. Desperately I sought my escape. With a sharp eye I spotted a metal bookcase holding various glass scientific paraphanelia bolted to the wall. The thing was high, high enough that I could see a roughly patterened steppingstool for Leatherhead to use. The metallic shelves were wide enough to fit my body. Leaping off a broken desk, I reached the nearest shelf and started scaling it like a monkey.

My heart thudded deep in my chest as Leatherhead crashed into the structure. The resiliance of the metal knocked him back a few steps, buying me precious time. Finally I reached the top of the thing and watched as Leatherhead attacked the structure. The thing wobbled despite the bolts that imbedded in the wall. Smiling at the realization that it was working, I shoved against the wall a bit myself, trying to help it along.

A telltale _twang_ told me when the first bolt had popped out. Like a bag of popcorn, it was soon followed by countless others. I felt myself falling forward swiftly to the ground and heard Leatherhead roar as the metal and glass came down upon him. Before the top shelf I was on had a chance to hit the floor, I leapt from it, landing in a hard roll on the concrete floor. I turned around in time to see Leatherhead engulfed in twisted metal shelves and thick glass beakers, test tubes, and other instruments. His massive bulk seemed to buckle beneath the chaos and he dissappeared from my sight.

Getting a better grip on my swords I stilled, watching the pile wearily as it settled on top of it's victim. The air seemed to go eerily quiet as I waited until it seemed like an eternity.

I stood still long enough for my toe to remind me it was there with a sharp, painful throb. Wincing I looked down at it. At the sight of it I winced again. In yanking it out from Leatherhead's scaly bulk, I had apparently left my toenail behind. It's former home had welled thick with blood. The end of the toe looked oddly...flat. Or squished.

Too long, I realized, did I stand there. The rubble shifted, and like a living monster he rose from beneath it, shoving aside the debris. Broken shards of glass protruded from his body like a frightening mixture between the Shredder and a porcupine. Salivating and oozing old, brown blood those sharp yet mindless eyes fixed on mine once more. Like a spring, his muscles knotted and he attacked.

He was significantly slower this time, perhaps the glass had cut vital tendons or something. But he had the element of surprise nonetheless. He swung wildly for me, trying to get a grip on my body. I danced swiftly out of the way, managing to avoid his grasp. Instead his fist closed around the blade of my sword. Tightening ruthlessly enough to cleave a deep gash in his palm, he yanked it out of my startled hand and brought it to his mouth, obviously thinking he had a piece of me. The steel hardly touched his gums before he realized it wasn't dinner.

Dropping the blade, he lunged for me once more. I turned swiftly but nearly tripped over a broken piece of furniture. Leaping wildly, I managed to avoid it only to run into another. And another. And another. Damn all this trash! Leatherhead must've put up quite a fight before we got to him to make this much damage.

He was gaining fast. While my smaller frame had to avoid everything, he simply plowed right through. It had to happen eventually. The curled leg of an old steel chair seemed to wrap itself around my ankle in mid jump. It jerked me to a stop where I was and brought me swiftly to the ground with a painful thud. As soon as my body touched the floor I flipped myself onto my back in time to see Leatherhead airborne, coming straight for me. There was no way I'd get out of the way in time. Double-gripping my sword, I shoved it up just as Leatherhead crashed down upon me.

It went wrong. Maybe I had misjudged. Maybe Leatherhead changed direction or speed midair somehow. Either way, the katana was imbedded in his neck, just above the collarbone. Brain unscathed, those tremendous jaws reached for me. There was no way that I could re-use the katana. There simply wasn't enough room or time. Releasing the weapon I instinctively grasped his jaws, one on the top, one on the bottom. Careful not to touch the teeth, I pushed as hard as I was able and held him off as he tried to take a bite out of me. But I know that crocodile jaws are the strongest of the animal kingdom. And my arms were still sore from a weeks-worth of hard training...

Inch by inch, those jaws open wide enough to swallow my head came closer. I kicked uselessly against his massive body, my feet sliding hamlessly across his scaly bulk. The hilt of my katana, still buried in his lower neck, was now pushing painfully against my chest. Still I fought the jaws off me as his fetid breath seemed to envelop my very being. Now those teeth were a scant two inches or so from my face. I held my breath and stared into his gullet with wide eyes.

Suddenly he twitched and went still. A blade appeared at the roof of his mouth, oozing sick blood onto his tongue. Then the blade twisted and things thicker than blood spilled into his mouth. The blade yanked itself out, and more blood spilled out of the wound. With a small shudder, Leatherhead collapsed upon me. Immediately the breath left my lungs completely and the hilt of my katana cracked a rib or two as it shoved ruthlessly into me. I managed to twist his head to the side so I didn't get a facefull of teeth and so the dripping blood would splil on the floor beside my head. Then I flopped my hands helplessly, not able to move much of anything else as I was crushed into the floor.

I probably wasn't under him that long, but when you can't breath it seems lik an eternity. Then a hard object wedged itself under Leatherhead's girth, poking me in the side. My mouth gaped like a fish, seeking air but finding none. Bright spots marred my vision until I could hardly see clearly, my head spun wildly. I needed to breathe! The object wrenched higher and a portion of his body lifted from the ground. Readjusting it's placement, it heaved again. He rolled enough off of me for me to suck in a weak gasp of air, one that I was gratefull for. Arms trembling from lack of oxygen, I struggled to help get LH off of me. With one final heave, the crocodile rolled off me completely, flopping onto the ground.

I gasped for air like a person starving, struggling to sit up to get better lung-fulls. My lungs and throat burned as the air rushed in. Familiar hands helped me up and rubbed my shell, rocking me back and forth in a comforting manner. My vision spotted until hazy shapes came back into focus. I coughed hard, then winced at what it did to my broken rib. The hand rubbed the spot for me.

"Shhhhhhh, my son. It is all right."

"S-s-sensei?" I looked up into that warm smiling face, that face that I loved so much and couldn't help but smile in return.

"Yes, Leonardo. It is me. You will be all right." Slowly he stood up, wiping of my katana stained with Leatherhead's blood with one of LH's tablecloths. "Come, my son. We must leave before more return."

I stood up and shook my head as the world briefly spinned. Briefly I wondered how long it was that he was crushing me. Sure did me a number. I staggered before regaining my step. Walking up to my old friend, I reached down and pulled the katana from his neck. Using the same tablecloth I wiped it off. I struggled not to look at the body of my friend, killed twice, lying prostrate on the floor. My vision blurred with moisture for a moment, I blinked it away. It seemed to happen so quick...

Catching up with Master Splinter, I followed him out of the den. Ears rotating and nose twitching, he kept a vigilant watch of the senses that I could not. We heard the ragged screams of more zombies in the distance. Instinctively we both stepped in the shadows, keeping still until we could discern the direction. The sound receded, and we both let out a breath. But my mind was working. It sounded like they were headed towards the Lair. Were they after Raph and Mikey? What about Don?

I opened my mouth to speak, but Sensei seemed to read my mind. "I am worried about your brothers as well, my son, but in order to help them, first we must ensure our own survival. Dead, we can help no one." He looked at me knowingly.

I shook my head. "But Sensei, we don't even know where Don is, Raph and Mikey just left the Lair a little bit ago chased by a pack of zombies! For all we know, the one's we just heard could've been chasing them!"

"Hush, Leonardo."He scolded, reminding me of my volume. Realizing my mistake, I bowed my head immediately. "Yes, you are correct, they may have been chasing your brothers, but at the same token, they may have not. Even if they were, I am sure that they will be able to take care of themselves." He nodded to himself, looking ahead blankly.

I was about to point out that Raph likely had some broken ribs as well for the same reason that I had them, but looking at my Father I stopped myself. Grief was plainly visible in his eyes. He was probably saying this just as much to put him at ease as me. Losing three sons must not be any easier than losing three brothers. A lump formed hard in my throat, I tried unsuccessfully to clear it. I sampled a different tactic.

"Why are there so many of those things down here?"

He shook his head, "I do not know, my son. Perhaps they can sense that there is something alive, something that they can eat down here. For things to progress how they have, for all electronics to be down and such, this must have been going on for at least a few days. Perhaps..." he looked down thoughtfully. "Perhaps there is not much left on the street levels to be of, ah, interest to these creatures."

I shivered as I realized what he was implying. Could so many people be infected so easily? "It must've been going on while we were away at training." I said aloud, just seeing it.

He nodded sadly, still walking swiftly yet cautiously down the sewer path. "I am sorry, my son." I looked at him, surprised. "If I had not decided so quickly to make a training trip, perhaps you would have been here to- AH!" He cried out, clutching his leg.

Stepping swiftly beside him, I stabbed at the object on his foot with my katana. My blade went through it with a _squish_ and it stopped wriggling. Gingerly Master Splinter stepped away from the thing. With it still sqewered on my katana I lifted it up and my heart sank and quickened at the same time as I recognized it. The first zombie we encountered in LH's den, the one who's head Mikey knocked away...

I flipped it off my blade and sliced the top of the head open just for good measure before turning to Master Splinter. Hands shaking, I helped to support him as he looked at the wound. I swallowed hard but it seemed like all the saliva dissappeared from my throat. This couldn't be happening! "Sensei, are you bit?" My voice was on the edge of being frantic. With trembling legs I squatted beside him. My heart thudded hard enough in my chest to hurt.

He looked up after examining his foot.

That one look told me the answer I didn't want to hear.

* * *

A/N: Yup. I did it. Go ahead and kill me now for it! Too bad it'll be another couple chapters until you find out what happened with Splinter! Bwahahahahaha! PLEASE tell me what you think, I truly love comments, critiques and predictions. Anonymous reviews welcome as well.

Toodles!


	5. Meet Rintintin

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: I couldn't wait to get this chapter out, for some reason. I got a lot of the military choices in here from a retired marine sniper that I work with. He was more than happy to chat about things that he dealt with and ways to handle situations. Of course I put my own little tweak on them...hehehe!

Chapter 5

Meet Rintintin

Well, I suppose that you'll be eager to hear from them pretty soon. But, I don't think that I'll do the same turtle's story back to back. Instead I'll jump to Donatello again. Yes, I know that we just visited him, but I'm afraid if I don't the time difference will begin to get confusing. Right now, with Donatello, it is still around five or six in the morning. The others are still living after twelve noon timewise. I assure you, that their stories will catch up to each other, timewise at least. Well, as you probably remember, Donatello and April had just escaped Casey and an exploding building...

* * *

Maybe 'escaping' the apartment was a mistake...

In the short time that I had spent at April's, the sun risen. The number of zombies on the streets since I was last out had also tripled exponentially.

The sound of the explosion seemed to act as a beacon, beckoning every walking undead within sight or sound of it. As soon as April and I hit the pavement on the street, we looked up to see the zombies sprinting towards us. Their clouded eyes bored straight into ours as their lips pulled past their gums, revealing eager teeth. Legions of the undead seemed to emerge from everywhere, all with gaping hungry mouths.

We had no time to think about anything. They were already closing in on us from both directions on the main street, so yanking April up by the arm we bolted down the nearest alley. Like packs of ravenous wolves, they sprinted after us. I looked around wildly. They were coming from everywhere. Like roaches coming from the woodwork. Maybe since humans are normally awake during the day then the zombies, following their prey's habits, are more active? I had very little time to think about it as we were chased.

The end of the alleyway was a dead end. A chain link fence, at least ten feet high, blocked our way. April, who was now running right beside me, nodded to me breifly as she read my thoughts. We'd have to jump it. As if it were possible, we stretched our legs even further, bounding across the pavement with increasing speed. At the right time, we both leapt simotaneously, landing a good six feet off the ground, our clawed fingers hooking the metal.

As soon as we touched it our arms and legs were pumping, hoisting our bodies up the remaining four feet. We had just cleared the top when the mass of zombies chasing us struck the fence like european soccer fans, nearly jolting us from our hold. I leapt down when there was still seven feet to go, landing hard on my feet. April followed with me catching her.

Panting and breathless, we stared at our pursuers for a second. They strained against the fence, a few of them so hard that the metal bit into their skin, screaming at us with bulging eyes and outstretched hands. They seemed so frantic, so animalistic, but each face was human. Young and old, big and small. Homeless and rich dressed in tuxedos and fancy gowns. They were all milling together as mindless beasts, all vestiges of humanity forgotten completely as they struggled to satisfy a powerful and overwhelming need to feast upon those that still lived...

I simply stood there, momentarily memorized as I contemplated the possibilities and the ironies of it all. To think, for once all these people were equal, in death but equal...a hand touched my arm. I started and looked down to see April's anxious green eyes staring into mine. "Don," she whispered, "we have to go."

Eyes still locked on the screaming zombies, I nodded absently. Swiftly we turned around to leave...

Suddenly an explosion rocked the block, making us freeze in our tracks. Gasping, we whipped around, looking about wildly. The zombies, looking up, slack jawed, saw the plumes of smoke. Some stayed by us, gnawing at the fence between us like mindless animals, others sprinted towards the explosion, drawn to the explosion like vultures to a carcass. Another explosion, several blocks back, made the ground tremble, it was followed within milliseconds by a second more blasting one, this time accompanied with human screams. The unmistakable sound of military rounds firing filled the air amid the shouts of men.

A man appeared at the end of the alley, dressed from head to toe in military battlegear. Lugging the rifle with him, he sprinted towards us, followed by a pack of zombies...several of them were dressed in the same gear as he. Skidding to a halt before he ran into the fence that divided us he whirled around and opened fire. Bullets hit them as though they were bags of sand, their bodies jerking at the impact. Some fell, and some ran on. Bodies fell upon bodies, and those remaining were forced to climb over them to reach their target.

Then the unmistakable _click click click_ sound came from the barrel as he pushed the trigger. Hesitating only an instant he gripped the rifle and tried desperately to fend of the remaining few. They overpowered him and pulled him to the ground. Screaming he still struggled to fight them off, punching and kicking at them with everything he had, but they pinned him down and dove in. His vest, helmet and other coverings helped ward them off for a short while, but teh eager, desperate fingers sought their way through like ravenous rats and soon found the pliable flesh, which they dove into with gusto. He screamed as his skin was split open, his wide, pain-filled eyes staring straight at us as they ate into him.

My hand tightened on my bostaff and I approached the fence as his screaming filled the air. April tried to grab my arm but I shoved her off and raised my bostaff high. Fitting the end through one of the holes I slammed it into the man's face, hitting his nose, driving the cartilage into his brain. His look was one of relief as he saw me coming, then it was over. He was dead.

April sobbed and screamed behind me. I grabbed her by the shoulders, putting my hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Screams of zombies could be heard approaching. More machine gun fire filled the air, followed by more men screaming. A loud rumbling sound emanated from the side of the alley where the zombies feasted on the man. Suddenly the edge of a hulkingly huge machine appeared. It ran into the corner of the, plowing through the brick like it was nothing. The thing was massive. It sported four monstrous wheels on each side, each higher than my thigh and thicker than April and I put together. It was made of some type of steel, the front end curving up a bit in a tank-like look. The top and sides were relatively flat, both bristling with metal tubes that I couldn't place the meaning of. Several what looked like machine guns were sported on the top. In between these was a massive barrel of a gun, one at least as thick as my arm.

It moved in a slightly crazed zig zag motion, until it rumbled steadily onward. Sevaral zombies ran to attack it, only to be crushed beneath the wheels and metal. I winced at the sound of cracking bones. Others ignored it and continued to feast on the dead man, oblivious to the impending danger. The massive machine rumbled forward, when the top was flipped open. Another man dressed in camouflage scrambled out, hands clawing at the metal in desperation. Another man in identical gear screamed hoarsly at him and grabbed his calf, trying to take a bite out of it. With a yell, the man's boot collided with him, only to be protected by the helmet strapped to his head. He kicked again and again, but the armour used to protect them was instead protecting his attacker. He screamed as teeth sank into his leg.

At that moment a zombie scrambled up the side, eagerly biting into his wrist. Twisting and screaming, he was dragged from the vehicle. Even still it rumbled forward, finally crushing the feasting zombies on the first man and finally plowing through the fence as though it were wet tissue paper. Shoving April against the wall, I flattened myself as best I could beside her as the machine rumbled past. Another explosion blasted in the distance, followed quickly by more shouts.

Apil and I started at the sounds, but then our attention was distracted by the hungry rasp of the zombies. Those remaining after the assault of the vehicle, stared at us through the torn fence. We bolted just as they sprinted towards us through the gaping hole.

The street was a mess. Several vehicles were crashed into one another, dead bodies littered the street. The zombies rushed towards us, it seemed like the only building intact was a tiny grocery store so we bolted towards it. But more were blocking our way. Surrounded by about twenty of the udead, I shoved April behind me and whipped out my bostaff. My grip tightened as they rushed us. Wood whistling through the air, I aimed my blows to kill. Shoving the tip through eye sockets, crushing noses into the moist brain cavity, striking the weak temple hard enough to hear the crack, I fought them off. But I couldn't do it all. Even April, who was numbly but efficiently using what Master Splinter taught her, they closed in. Finally, as I whipped around to attack one to my left, I could see out of the corner of my eye one lunge for my unprotected right shoulder. I whipped around, but knew before I started moving that I wouldn't make it on time. He'd get me.

Lips peeled back to reveal yellowed teeth, he opened his mouth for the bite.

A flash of fur and teeth flew before my eyes. It connected solidly with the zombie, both crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. The dog snarled fiercely, fanged jaws buied in the neck of the zombie, right below the jaw. Pushing its bite further into the undead's flesh, the jaws closed tightly and the dog jerked his head sharply to the side. The sickening sound of flesh ripping and tendons popping could be heard as the zombie was partially decapitated. Sick blood oozed out and the zombie screamed soundlessly, vocal cords severed, as it kicked and clawed at the animal.

I was astounded at this event. So much so I nearly missed the zombie coming at me from the right. I swung my bostaff up to meet it, ramming the point into the fragile bone joining the eyes and nose. April screamed beside me. Immediately I whipped around to see the dog tugging at her pant leg. His muzzle and neck was coated in the brown, sticky blood, yet his tail was wagging. By this time I could see what the animal looked like. It was a large german shepard, his shoulder coming almost up to my thigh, and looked just like a police dog in the movies except for the size and the whole zombie-killer part.

Slapping her hands on its muzzle, the dog released her, backed up a few steps and barked at us. We looked at it, perplexed and wary. The dog huffed, air blowing out of its lips, paced, and barked at us again. April tentatively grabbed my hand and looked at me. We could both sense what the dog was doing. "Should we follow him?" April whispered.

Apparently giving up on us, it turned around and with a flip of its tail nonchalantly trotted off. At that second we could hear the screams of approaching zombies and made our decision. Taking off, we pursued the shepard.

Looking over its shoulder, the dog saw us following it and quickened its pace. With the undead pursuing us, we didn't need further incentive to folow suit. My mind was buzzing. Mostly, what the hell this dog was doing. Was it a military dog? Looked like one...

The canine loped straight into a clearing in the street. Maybe it was my ninja instincts at work, but I didn't like the idea of heading into that clearing in plain sight of everyone and everything...especially in broad daylight. But we had passed enough dead people, crashed vehicles both military and civilian, to cease to worry too much about such mundane matters. After only a brief hesitation, we sprinted after it.

Zombies, apparently, don't have the muscular capacity to get tired (I'd have to find out why later) because they were gaining on us fast, keeping up a full tilt sprint. They were less then a few yards behind us when we darted to the middle of the clearing.

thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap! thwap!

The head of each of the zombies exploded as the high powered rounds plowed through flesh and bone mercilessly. One by one they slumped to the ground, human skulls unrecognizable.

Startled, I skidded to a stop with April behind me, bostaff in hand. Planting my feet, I looked at what just saved us and wondered if we were truly saved.

A man in military camouflage stared down at us from the scope of a high caliber military sniper rifle. He was seated upon one of those eight-wheeled machines that we had seen earlier, popped out of the open ceiling hatch. The barrel of the gun trained on us for a brief second before he looked up from it, an astounded expression on his face as he stared at me. "What the f#king hell are you supposed to be?"

The screams of zombies could be heard in the distance, attracted by all the noise and spilled blood. Already forgetting my presence, he looked towards the sound and cursed soundly. Ignoring us completely he pointed at the dog. "You! Mutt! Get your furry butt in there!" He shouted, pointing at an open metal door at the back of the monstrous machine.

My heartbeat quickened as I realized that we were about to get left behind. The dog whined at the man, then loped over to us, sitting on my feet. Smiling happily, tongue lolled out, he cocked his head and looked at the marine. The man called the dog several names which I could repeat, but it wouldn't be in my better judgement. Who knows, my mouth might rot.

Still, even after all that verbal abuse the dog simply set there, rear end planted at me feet, smiling up at him. Finally the man looked at us again, a ticked off expression on his face. "What the hell do you want?"

Eyeing the rifle warily, I held up my hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, we want to get out of here as much as you do."

The rifle barrel still pointed in my direction, he whistled. "Man. It speaks too. What can't you do?" he said mockingly.

Zombies screamed, this time noticably closer. The dog barked. April stepped out from behind me, hands planted on our hips. "Look, it's obvious that your dog won't move unless we come with him, so why not just take us with you?"

As though the undead weren't coming and it was a peaceful sunny day, he scratched at his chin through the strap of his helmet. "I don't know, seems just as easy, if not _easier_ to just blow your brains out right here and now and be done with it."

My hands tightened on my bostaff and my muscles tightened. Quickly I mentally calculated the time it would take for me to shove April out of the way, step to the side, and attack him with my bostaff before he had time to fire the bullet. Unfortunately the odds weren't in my favor. I opened my mouth to speak but the dog barked before I could do so, his wagging tail thwapping against my thighs. We could see the zombies now in the distance, sprinting towards us. The marine looked down the road and cursed again.

"F#k it! Fine! You're not worth the bullets! Get your asses in the back, now! Let Rintintin in with you, and be sure to thank him for saving your sorry hides."

Something told me that we were going to strike up an excellent relationship with this man.

* * *

A/N: I know it's about a day early, but I don't care! Please leave a review and let me know what you guys think, input helps monumentally!


	6. Guests

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I see that I didn't attract as much as I did last time, hopefully this chapter makes up for whatever action it is missing right now. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 6

Guests

Well, now...interesting perdicament with our Donatello, isn't it? unfortunately, I can't continue with him until I catch upon the others! The next turtle that we shall hear from is Michelangelo. In case you may have forgotten, the last that we had saw him, he and Raphael had arrived in the Lair by themselves. As far as they knew, Leo was dead and their master was missing. Considering what had happened, one can hardly blame them for coming to such a negative conclusion, correct? Either way, let us continue with the story...

* * *

Raph stood there trembling for a moment and I was torn between edging away cautiously or abandoning thought of self injury and comforting him. He was rigid, his eyes wide and staring into nothing. I've seen him like this before, though not this bad. I had to do something...tentatively I reached out for him. He acted before I could move a muscle. Eerily silent, he sprang in the air and drop kicked the chair, recklessly throwing all of his weight against it. It crashed in splinters to the ground from the abusive blow. The pads of Raph's feet had hardly touched the floor before he was in the air again, this time punching at the air with so much violence that if anyone was in front of him, they'd have broken bones for sure.

Landing lightly on his fingertips he swung his heel back. It connected with the couch, rolling it onto it's cushions with a protesting groan. "Gaddamnit!!!" He hissed through his teeth as he launched another angered assault on a helpless piece of furniture.

My feet, glued to the floor until now, finally released their hold and I cautiously approached my brother. I could feel a lump in my throat and struggled to swallow it down. Leo was probably dead, Master Splinter was missing to who knows where, Don has been gone for hours and we were on our own. I couldn't blame him for being so upset, I was too, but it was obvious that I would have to calm him down. There was no one else...

I was close enough to touch him when he rounded on me, staring into my face with gritted teeth. His jaws were clenched together so tightly that I'm surprised they didn't crack. "Goddamnit! They're goddamn gone!" he snarled.

I held up my hands and moved slowly. A shaky smile plastered itself on my face. "I know, Raph, but-"

"THEY'RE F#KING GONE!" His face tinged red, veins bulging in tightly clenched fists.

"I-" I ducked as he swung wildly, tiny specks of tears brimming from his eyes. I dodged him smoothly, looking at him with sad eyes. He went after me, but his heart wasn't into it. I blocked easily, merely holding up my forearms to absorb the light blows. I backed up slowly, allowing him to catch up to me. We made an odd sort of dance, us two, kind of like those choreographed fights in the movies. He came closer and closer, until we were nearly touching, then he looked at me.

"They're gone. They're all gone." He whispered hoarsley with shuddering breaths. His eyes looked watery.

I nodded and put my hands lightly on his shoulders. My own eyes felt heavy and wet. "Yeah, Raph, I know." With that we embraced tightly, like brothers should in times like these, leaning on each other. Letting each other know that we could depend on one another, that we would be there. Enough tears were squeezed out between us to season a tasty dish.

Our brotherly moment was rudely interrupted by the screeching of the zombies that chased us, they were clawing at the hidden door that we used to escape them, howling for thier lost meals. "Shit." Raph grumbled. I looked at him and he winced, holding his side tenderly.

"What's up?" I asked, concerned.

He glared at me. "A f#king crocodile landed on me, that's what's up!" wincing again, he sighed and looked at the hidden door. It sounded like the zombies were going crazy. I shuddered.

"Maybe we shouldn't stay here..."

"Why the hell not? What if Master Splinter or Leo returns? What're they supposed to do?"

"Exactly, what if they do return...?" I could clearly picture Master Splinter and Leo running towards the sewer entrance of the Lair, being chased by zombies, only to come across a wall of them by the door. They would be trapped...

Surprisingly enough, when I explained this fear to Raph, he understood. We were both clutching onto that one hope that they might still be alive that we were willing to do anything. Opening the door and distracting the zombies that way was out of the question, couldn't have the undead potentially infecting our home or cornering us and getting us infected. The only other plausible option was to use the elevator to the warehouse. Quickly we thought up a plan. Go to the nearest manhole cover and drop down my remote control car, one that Don modified, giving it a blaring horn and sirens (Raph was glad to get rid of that one). This would distract the zombies from the door and allow us to return and await our family returning. Raph wanted to do it himself on the shell cycle, but somehow (must be because of his upset state!) I managed to convince him otherwise. I didn't like the idea of sending my only remaining brother in an exposed vehicle while I was left alone. If we went anywhere, it would be together. I don't think that I could take it if we were separated too, and to tell you the truth I don't think Raph could either even if he doesn't admit to it. So we made a plan together. All that I needed was a remote control toy car that Don had made for me.

Silently we gathered duffel bags and filled them with some supplies, me taking my remote control car to use in our plan. At the same time, both of us were preparing for the occaision where we might not return, either. Just as silently, finishing packing some blankets, we headed for the elevator. I looked around the Lair one last time, taking a mental picture. So many things happened here, it was hard to think that we might be leaving it for the last time. Raph waited impatiently for me by the doors, blinking hard. He seemed to struggle to stare resolutely at the hard doors, determined to make no further contact with what he was about to leave.

The doors closed behind us with a _thump,_ the sound made me shudder for some reason. Vibrating slightly, the elevator made it's way to the warehouse floor. Pushing our bags back on our shells we both took out our weapons and got ready in case we had a nasty surprise for us when the doors were opened.

Nothing.

The warehouse was empty, save the Battle Shell, the Shell cycle, and that digging machine thingy along with the leftover alien technology that Don had collected. Relaxing, but only slightly, we both silently padded onto the cold pavement. A series of animalistic moans made us freeze in our tracks, shell to shell, ready for anything. But the source answered itself when we saw the dim shadow of a slumped zombie pass by the warehouse walls. It was outside. Heart thudding hard in my chest, I stared at the thin sheet metal walls as shadows passed fleetingly over it here and there. It was almost like the little crying shadow demon dudes taking away the bad guys on _Ghost_.

I suddenly realized that Raph was gone, having continued walking while I stood and daydreamed. Grinning despite myself, I padded after him, quiet as a cat. The Battle Shell was parked near the door, it's metal exterior never looked so comforting as the zombies trudged past only feet away from us. Without a sound, we each took a door. Grasping the door handle, we pulled it open.

creak

I startled at the sound, looking acusingly at the hinges of my door. The passing shadow of a zombie froze at the sound, lolling its head from side to side. I stared at my door. I had stopped opening it at the sound of the squeak, only leaving about a foot of space. Not nearly enough to get my big shell through. But as soon as I turned the door open again... Raph met my eyes and I knew that he understood. I gritted my teeth and got ready. Holding up his hand, Raph counted down. Three...two...one!

Both of us exploded into action. I heaved the door open so much so that it hit it's limit with a loud protest. Raph did the same. But the zombies were alerted by the squeak before they could even react to that. With vicious screams they sprinted towards the warehouse, throwing themselves against the thin metal like flies on a light bulb. Landing heavily in the cushions, we threw the doors shut. Gripping the steering wheel, Raph shoved the key into the ignition and revved up the big diesel engine, which sprang to life with a mostrous roar.

By now the zombies were freaking out like groupies at a rock concert, clawing at the metal. I hugged the remote control car in my lap and tried hard to ignore that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn't have a lot of time to think about it as Raph stomped on the accelerator. The wheels spun and white smoke wafted in the air before the big vehicle finally lurched forward with all the ferocity of a charging rhino. The doors were approaching fast...too fast.

"Uh, Raph? Raph?!" He didn't slow down, we were going to hit them. "RAPH! AAAEEEEEEEEE!"

The doors gave little resistance, crumpling in the face of our charge, the metal causing sparks to fly as they scraped against the battle shell's armour. I threw up my hands instinctively, giving a very high pitched...uh...very masculine cry. Blinding daylight and scores of zombies greeted us. As if it were even possible, Raph pushed harder on the accelarator. Heedless of the danger, the undead ran towards us, only to be bounced off the grill. Some made it to the hood, glancing off it's surface to vault off the thick windsheild. Still others seemed to get caught in something, their bodies being dragged alongside us or under us like so much roadkill. The hollowed sound of human bodies thumping against the body of the car is something that I'll never forget. We mowed through them like grass, Raph actually swerving to positions where he could hit more of them. He hunched over the wheel, staring at them, eyes full of pure hatred and mouth curved in an odd mixture of a smile and a grimace. I just clutched onto the seat for dear life, gritting my teeth and trying to keep from screaming like a girl. It was like a theme park ride gone wrong.

It wasn't long before the first crack appeared on the windshield, caused by the glancing blow of a decapitated head. Raph started at this, seeming to realize our purpose of coming topside in the first place. Swerving towards the manhole cover that we'd planned to visit, he sped towards it, this time only hitting zombies who happened to be in his way. I unbuckled my seatbelt, heart thudding painfully in my chest. This was the moment of truth. I gripped the crowbar tightly. The moment Raph stops, we'll be sitting ducks. I hafta open the door and _get out_ in order to do this thing, so if anyone's going to be bit, it'll be me.

I don't wanna eat people!

He came to a screeching stop so suddenly that I was slammed painfully against the unforgiving dashboard. Limbs feeling especially weak and wobbly, I thew the door open and leapt out. It was hard not to freeze at the sight of screeching zombis running at me full tilt, but somehow I didn't. Heart in my throat, I hooked the crowbar in the manhole cover, yanked it off and dropped the car unceremoniously into the sewer before scrambling back for the battle shell.

A cold hand wrapped itself around my ankle just as I had grasped the seat and was heaving myself up. Screaming, I kicked furiously at the zombie. "RAPH! GO! GOGOGOGOGOGO!" With zombies crawling all over the vehicle, he didn't need any further incentive. It lurched forward until I was hanging onto the seat, my lower half swinging in the air like a flag. The zombie was jerked from my ankle. I was freed. Like flies on a windshield, zombies started hitting the vehicle again with hollow sounding _thump_s. I hauled myself into the seat, the wind closing the door behind me for me. The cab jolting wildly from Raph's driving and the undead speedbumps, I looked down at the tiny screen on my controller. The picture was shaky as it barreled through the sewers, large tires modified by Don for such terrain. It was also large enough that I hoped it would get the attention of the zombies. They came into view and immediately stormed after my helpless little car. I shoved the tiny joystick forward, making my toy careen down the barely paved sewer path at a (Don modified) fifteen miles an hour.

The loud screeching of tires caught my attention. My head whipped up. Raph's look told me that they weren't _our_ tires that had screeched. Looking into the side mirror, I saw a large minivan skid into view. It was followed by even more zombies, all desperately trying to claw through the sleek surface. The driver must've seen us, because he turned towards us...and straight into the open manhole. The right front tire hit the hole with an odd thudding sound, before the ear splitting sound of metal engine stuff breaking hit the air. I didn't know exactly what they were, but I've heard Donny curse over stuff like that so I knew that it wasn't good. The front tipped forward and the rear lifted in the air, the front bumper crumpling into the pavement. The thing seemed to balance on the front for a brief second and almost looked like it would be flipped upside down before it landed on it's side with a loud crash. Frightened screams came from inside.

My heart went cold.

"Raph, we have to-"

He shook his head, biting his lip. "Mikey, we need to-"

"RAPH!"

I glared at him. His eyes flicked over to mine. He grimaced. "God-f#king-_damnit!_" He turned the steering wheel sharpley. For a brief second the battle shell balanced delicately on its two right wheels before it hit all four again and careened after the crashed van.

He nearly ran into the nose, instead did a spin at the last second so that the side of the battle shell was parked snugly against the engine-bottom-part of the minivan. I was already out of my seat, scrambling to the hatch at the top. Flipping the latch, I opened it up and scrambled to the roof before any zombies could beat me to it. Nunchuku out and spinning, I turned towards the van. It just happened to land so that the sliding side door was on top. Possibly a lucky move that would save their lives. The door popped loose, then paused. Zombies screamed all around. They seemed to come from everywhere, young and old, all sprinting towards the site of the crash.

Already I had to knock two zombies off the battle shell, but still the door remained closed. Zombies were starting to climb onto the overturned minivan, seeking the living morsels inside. Tired of waiting I leapt onto the minivan and jerked the door open. A slim brunette looked up at me with wide eyes...and screamed. Man, why do they always to that!!! But I didn't have time to explain myself right now. Reaching down I grasped the woman by her armpits, She screamed again and struggled a little bit before thinking better of it, clutching something tightly to her chest. It was only when I had lifted her clear out of the car that I saw it was a tiny baby. Pointing towards the battle shell, I yelled over the zombie screams for her to climb through the roof of it. Her wide eyes still staring at me in complete shock, she somehow got the message, despite it being delivered by a giant turtle, and nodded. Clutching the screaming babe tighter against her chest she scrambled over to the opening, nearly falling in the process, but she made it.

The next person in there was a hefty barrel chested black man, muscles bulging in his shirt. Luckily for me he needed no help. Grabbing both sides he hoisted himself up, standing a full foot over my head. His eyes widened when he saw me, but other than that he seemed remarkably calm. He grabbed the crowbar out of my belt, making me get in a defensive stance. He shook his head. "Go gaurd your vehicle, I'll take care of this one!" Grinning I nodded as he swung the bar into the nose of an overambitious zombie, crunching the face of another with his massive boots. I immediately dispatched four zombies on my side back into the teeming masses below.

The next one up was a black woman, also built with muscle just like the man. She looked like an amazon. She wasted no time coming over. Then came a blond girl, so done up in gothic style makeup that she could probably be mistaken for one of the zombies. A thin, wiry teenage boy covered in freckles and a middle-aged man followed. The next one up was a frail looking elderly woman. She looked around wildly, as though she were spooked by everything but the teeming masses of undead hell bent on eating her The man treated her differently, guiding her swiftly but carefully over to me until I was able to grab a hold of her. Looking at me she smiled lovingly until I lowered her into the battle shell. Oddest reception I ever got. The last out was the driver, an elderly man with a shining bald dome. He got out with very little trouble, making the passage with the other man quickly with no fooling around. I furiously fought off the zombies, more were getting on until I was constantly dancing here and there, struggling to keep them at bay. They were so thick in the surrounding street that you couldn't see the pavement.

The last old man and the muscular man hopped into the opening. The last two. Relieved, I leapt after them, shutting and locking the latch behind me. Raph already had the modified armour covering the windsheild because of all the zombies scrambling onto the hood. Despite it's weight the battle shell still rocked and shuddered back and forth from all the zombies pushing against it. As soon as the latch shut Raph revved the engin forcefully and pushed on the gas. It was slow going at first, the road in front of him was so thick with the undead. He actually had to back up, go forward, back up and go forward again to get enough momentum to get moving. Even then it was slow going. I still couldn't help but wince at the sound of so many human bodies thudding against the walls.

I stared at our new passengers. Most of them huddled against the back, as far away from us as possible, staring at us with bewildered and frightened expressions. Some, the black couple and the elderly couple, didn't seem that scared. The black man held out his hand. Hesitating only for a second, I took it. His grasp practically covered my own. "I'm Simon." His voice was deep. I liked it.

"I'm Michelangelo." I grinned.

"Thanks for what you did back there, I know you didn't have to. I want you to know that we appreciate it."

I shook my head. I didn't want to tell him that I was the one to leave the manhole cover off in the first place. Might set a bad first impression.

The old man, skipping pleasantries, squinted at the walls. "What's this thing made of?"

"Don't know. Some type of steel, probably. Used to be an armored car...well...guess it still is." I grinned.

His eyes darted to mine, old and weary yet full of confidence and strength. "You steal it?"

"That's none of your damn business, pops!" Raph yelled from the drivers seat. "If we didn't have this car, those freaks out there would be picking the flesh from your bones right now!" The crowd in the back screamed slightly and both me and the two men glared in his direction.

I held up a disapproving finger. "Ah ah ah! Be nice, Raphie! After all, these are our guests!"

"Aw, hell."

* * *

A/N: Well, couldn't really think of a better place to end it...hope that you liked it well enough! Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Anonymous, predictions, and guesses are welcome too! 


	7. What Else Could I Do?

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Here's Leo! The only thing that I'm worried about in this chapter is that I might have him a little too crazy or OOC, hopefully I missed those marks and hit the nail on the head instead. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 7

What Else Could I Do?

Hm. Things are happening on all fronts, now. Michelangelo and Raphael have officially picked up some unexpected guests out of necessity, and Donatello and April have formed an uneasy, and perhaps temporary truce with a tempermental marine and a unique dog. Both groups out of the sewers, both exposed to humans, and both in moving vehicles. Well, we are forgetting one, aren't we? Last we left Leonardo and Splinter, they were in a bit of trouble. After escaping the attack of Leatherhead, they had discovered the hard way that a zombie with it's head cut off can still bite...

* * *

My heart was in my throat as I looked at the wound. Most of it was disguised by the fur, but you could clearly see the bite. He was bitten. No, Splinter can't be bitten. He can't.

I don't know how long I knelt there, but soon I felt his paw on my shoulder. My throat tight and painful, I looked up at him. His dark eyes were large. "Leonardo, what is wrong? It is not that serious..." His eyebrows drew together in confusion. He looked down at his foot, inspecting it. "In fact, my son, in comparison to wounds that I have sustained in the past, it is quite trivial." It took me a moment to absorb what he said. I swallowed, shaking my head. He didn't know. Of course he didn't know. He never watched the monster movies with us, he didn't like those kinds of movies. From He didn't know, he didn't know...

I opened my mouth but it was too dry to speak. Nervously I licked my lips, but it did nothing, my tongue being so dry all it did was scrape against my skin. After all, what could I do? As far as I knew, there was no cure. I can't just look at my father and Sensei and tell him he's going to die, then rise again to attack the living! Who could do that??? My heart thudded hard in my chest as a dishonorable thought slithered into my head, planting itself on my brain. Ruthlessly I tried to shove it out, but I could not get rid of it...it was too enticing...too selfish. Master Splinter did not know what it meant to be bitten by a zombie...I couldn't picture him as a zombie, I just couldn't. What would he do if he knew? I could picture the result in my head and didn't think I could bear it, because I knew that Master Splinter wouldn't allow it to happen either. He would take measures to prevent it. And I could only think of one... Moist heat welled behind my eyes as I thought of it. No, I just couldn't bear it!

"Leonardo?"

My head whipped up to see my master looking at me curiously, yet with trepidation. I was still on one knee, a hand on his foot. Quickly I snatched my hand away. "Uh, nothing, Master Splinter. It's nothing."

He cocked his head to one side, warm brown eyes studying me intently. "Leonardo, what troubled you just now?"

I shirked beneath his gaze. "Nothing, really. I just got scared when I thought that you were hurt, that's all." I clumsily regained my feet, my hands trembling. The tremor was audible in my voice. Silently I cursed myself. I wasn't a good liar.

He looked at me. With jellied hands I stood and faced him, practically grabbing my belt to keep him from seeing them shake. His eyes seemed to run right through me, I felt exposed and naked as the huge black mark of my lie stained me. But I held my ground tremulously.

I could tell from his eyes that he wasn't at all satisfied with my answer, he always seemed to know when something was amiss. He opened his mouth, like he was about to say something else, then closed it. With a warm smile, he nodded. "Very well, Leonardo. Now, let us continue." He shook his head. "This is almost like one of the horror movies that you and your brothers are so fond of."

I nodded stiffly. "Yeah, I guess it kinda is." I was about to say something further, but my jaw clamped itself shut. I didn't want to elaborate on how similar it was to zombies...that might lead to other things. My body felt sore and heavy from battling with Leatherhead, but now a new weight was added to it.

Stepping silently across the grimy stones of the sewers, we said nothing else as we listened intently for zombies. We could always hear the distant echo of them behind us and knew we couldn't backtrack. It wasn't very long before we heard famished moans coming down the tunnel after a curve in the wall. Both of us froze, all ears. We were right by the Lair, and from the sound of the zombies, they were right by the door. How were we going to get in?

Looking down at Master Slinter, I saw him looking resolutely at the source of the sound, obviously steeling himself for a fight to the door. I sighed quietly and rubbed my sore ribs absently. We had no real choice, zombies were in the distance behind us, the Lair so far as we knew was safe, so we just had to make it through this group. Reaching behind my back, I slowly usheathed my katanas so the steel would not sing. My grip tightened on the hilt with a tiny creak of tightly woven leather. Sensei and I looked at each other and nodded. Time to go-

Just then, the manhole cover near to the door was thrown open, revealing the open sky. The screams of what must've been thousands of zombies could be heard above. Just as my mouth opened, Mikey's remote car was dropped unceremoniously into the sewer, though the manhole cover was too far in the distanct for me to make out details. The wheels were spinning loudly with a high pitched, metallic whine before they even hit the floor. As soon as the tires made contact, it was off like a bolt of lightning.

Both the sound and the commotion was enough to attract the attention of the zombies at the door. With hungry screams, they sprinted after the thing with hooked fingers and gaping mouths. Instinctively Master Splinter and I flattened ourselves to the walls of the sewer in the shadows. Legs pumping, both zombies and car dissappeared down the sewer tunnels.

Hearts thudding in our chests, we waited a brief second until we could hear actual tires burning rubber topside. Hope alighted inside of me. Hope for a rescue. Taking a quick, furtive glance around for zombies I darted over to where the manhole cover was to investigate. Feet planted belowe the opening, I craned my neck up and grasped the first rung of the ladder.

At that second, more wheels screeched and a huge tire suddenly appeared in the opening. Startled, I staggered back as the wheel fell completely in the empty space. The front axle of the vehicle struck the rim of the opening harshly. After an instant of shrieking metal, the axle snapped completely. The jagged metal flopped and lodged itself in the sewer opening with the tire wedging it to the other side. The entire vehicle flew up with the broken axle and tire still stuck tight. More metal screamed as it snapped, twisted, and was tortured. With a crash, the thing finally landed across the opening, shoving the broken parts further down.

Master Splinter remained immobile in complete shock for a moment as we stared at the crashed vehicle, dead engine still ticking, and scores of zombies screaming topside. Sensei nudged me sharply in my side, bringing me back down to earth. Quickly we darted over to the door to the Lair. I grimaced at the sight of peeled off fingernails, pieces of skin and thick smears of blood and flesh, all probably from them pawing at it for so long. Shaking my head to clear it, I quickly flipped the protector and punched in the code. Mechanical gears humming, the massive door moved aside, closing after we got in.

Looking quickly about we breathed a sigh of relief that there was no zombie to greet us, but tightened up inside when we noticed Raph, Mikey and Don still missing as well.

I looked down at Splinter's bitten foot, chewing my lip nervously. "Sensei, maybe we should clean your wound..."

He shook his head. "No. First we must try to find a way out and reach your brothers. Come, Leonardo." He stepped up to Don's lab, where the security cameras were set up. "Now, show me how to use these."

I went up and turned them on, clicking on the icon that Don showed me before. With that, we saw the sewers. I had to suppress a shudder. The zombies were back to the door, maybe because somewhere in the recesses of their mind they remember food going in there, or more likely they saw us do our mad dash into it. They didn't appear to be anywhere else in the sewers, they were all just congested around the Lair and Leatherhead's. When we scoped out the warehouse, we found it to be practically crawling with zombies. I had to breath a sigh of relief when I saw the Battleshell missing, that was a sure sign that my brothers were alive. The door was torn out, making me suspect Mikey or Raph. But it also made escaping through the warehouse out of the question. There were even more out there than by the front door.

Quickly I thought it over. It would be much more simple if it was open spaces that I was dealing with, but we weren't. The warehouse, save the door, was completely closed in and could easily get cornered by mindless zombies. The sewers weren't much better. The cameras were only set at a few locations and we could just as easily flee the zombies only to meet another wall of them. Killing them, of course, was an option, but Sensei had me scared. A bite contracts...whatever it is that did this. What will happen if both of us get covered in zombie blood? What will we be escaping for? I looked at my father. He was still studying the screens with sad eyes. What can I do with him? Maybe it is possible to cure it, but I wouldn't know what to do. We need Donny...but we don't have him here. No one but me, the leader who managed to lose his entire family and get his father bitten all in one afternoon. I wasn't a leader. I was a failure.

I somehow convinced Master Splinter to take care of his wound, though he worried about the others. I did too. Telling him about Mikey's remote control car, and the missing Battleshell, we convinced ourselves that Mike and Raph made it out. Don, he was a smart turtle and wouldn't get himself killed. I think that we were both convincing ourselves.

Once the fur was wet and brushed aside, the bite looked more gruesome than I originally thought. I was aware of Sensei looking at me curiously as I cleaned it with an entire bottle of hydrogen peroxide and neosporin, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, we made plans to leave once we were packed. Sensei wanted to wait until night, since judging from this morning when we drove home the activity is lessoned at that time and would probaby be our best bet to escape. I wrapped the wound in soft guaze.

So we carried out our plans. We packed the rest of the food, blankets, and supplies. Then we had to wait for nightfall.

It was during that wait that I began to notice it.

About an hour after he was bitten, we were struggling to relax and conserve our energy in order to escape from our own home. I had a book in front of me but I couldn't read it. I don't even know what book it was. Using it for cover, I stole glances at Sensei. He was sitting on his chair, sipping tea and absently rubbing his foot. I stared at him.

"Sensei, is your foot bothering you?"

Acting surprised, he looked at me. "What did you say?"

"Your foot. You're rubbing it. Do you need me to look at it again?"

With a renewed look of surprise, he looked down at his foot, staring at his offending hand. "I did not realize I was doing so. No, my son, it is not bothering me. It simply feels a bit numb." Slurring the last few words, he shook his head sharply, as though trying to clear cobwebs. "Ah, my head feels so clouded, I cannot concentrate." With a sigh, gulped the last bit of tea and resolutely walked to his room. "I believe I shall try to meditate on our mission ahead." He walked across the room and didn't seem to notice that he was limping slightly.

My eyes were wide as I watched him slide the ricepaper doors behind him. The instant they did I was on my feet, stealing my way across the area in a few swift leaps. Stepping lightly on the balls of my feet I leaned against the doors, listening to him settle down on his cushions. Heart thudding once more in my chest, I hesitantly stepped back, breathing hard. It normally took only a few minutes for Sensei to get started with his meditation. Looking at the clock, I saw that it was three. We escaped Leatherhead's around 2:30. With crazed energy surging through me I darted to my room, digging furiously through the chest of things that I had collected throughout the years. Seeing what I was after I snatched it, tucked it in my belt behind my shell, and bolted.

Just as swiftly I darted back to the chair, practically throwing myself in it. I sat there facing his door and staring at it for a full five minutes, my heart still thudding in my chest and my mind still racing. That thought, the dishonorable, selfish thought, insisted on reminding me of it. I tried to convince myself of other things. The scary thing was that my mind was starting to contradict itself.

No, he won't turn into a zombie. He's not human, like the others. He's a mutant...

So was Leaherhead.

No! That's right. Well, he doesn't have reptilian blood like Leatherhead, maybe it won't affect him.

The humans don't have reptilian blood either.

Well, either way it can't happen. It won't happen. Nothing like that can happen to Sensei, he's seen to many things, done so much. Surely whatever this is, it'll just skip over him. I can't fail him too. I can't.

Just then, I heard his voice from the room, calling my name. I was dozing, it had nearly been forty minutes. Muscles already so tight they were twitching, I leapt up and sprinted over to him, practically throwing the doors open. He was still sitting on his pillows, legs still crossed. Brows knitted together, he was looking at them. "Forgive me, my son. But it appears that I can't get up." He mumbled sheepishly.

Grasping his arms, I lifted him so he could untangle his legs. "What's wrong, Sensei?"

He shook his head. "I do not know. For some reason, I simply could not concentrate enough to meditate. Then I found that my legs were numb." He shook his head again while leaning on me, rubbing the circulation back into his legs. "I have been feeling so sluggish the past hour or so. My circulation must not be good." He smiled at me. "Do not worry, my son. I will try to get myself into shape in time for us to search for your brothers."

Feet finally meeting the carpet, he took a few steps. I noticed the wet spot immediately. "Sensei, your foot!"

He looked down. His wound was oozing some type of fluid through the padded guaze. "Well, I suppose we might as well rewrap it again, Leonardo." My eyes widened at his slurring words, but he didn't seem to notice.

So, careful not to come into direct contact with the wound, I washed it again. Master Splinter talked absentmindedly, like his mind was wandering. Looking at him, he had the distinct look of someone who was buzzed. I looked down at the wound. It looked as though it was rotten instead of a bite only several hours old. With trembling hands I wrapped it in some more pristine white guaze, even though I had a feeling it would be marred again.

Sensei caught himself mid sentence, pausing. Slowly he shook his head, mumbling about a head full of cobwebs. Holding onto my shoulder, I helped him to his chair, where he collapsed, exhausted. "Leonardo, why am I so tired? I had gotten enough sleep...and my mind is so foggy...so hard to concentrate..." His eyes drooped and finally closed. I sat there and watched him sleeping there with his head propped up on the back rest, snoring softly. I don't know how long I sat there, but it seemed like an instant. I was absolutely transfixed, studying him. The wave of his fur, those fragile yet strong hands. That head, covering such a powerful mind. That rat, my father, couldn't be becoming what I denied he would become. He's too intelligent, kind, compassionate, and honorable to become a mindless, food crazed puppet.

I remembered those hands cradling me when I was little and was scared or hurt. I remember that voice crooning me to sleep as a child and giving me wise lessons later. He was quick, in mind and body. Warm where the rest of the world was cold. Stronger than the best steel, yet more flexible than anything that I've seen. He just can't be sick with it. He can't be turning...

I didn't realize that I was crying until another tear dropped into the small puddle of tears already fallen. Touching my cheek lightly, I felt the moisture. Splinter still slumbered, though his breathing seemed to be more strained; every breath being a wheeze. Slowly I crawled towards him, putting my head on his knee. My tears wet his fur. Somehow it just didn't smell the same.

The movement made him stirr with a sharp intake of breath. It almost looked painful. Wincing slightly he propped himself up slowly, sluggishly. "L-leonardo? Was I asleep?"

"Yes Sensei."

"I feel so tired-" he plopped back down into the cushions. Wheezing loudly, he continued. "And my chest...it feels so heavy." Slowly he turned his head, his tired eyes looking at me. Even they seemed clouded and sunken. It was as though he were dying right before my eyes. "Leonardo, what is happening to me?"

"Sensei-"

"No! Leona-" The sharpness of his tone was too much and he had to pause to take a breath. But his eyes never left mine. "Leonardo, you know what is happening. Tell me, please."

My chest was nothing but one big sharp pain, such was the pain in my heart. It twisted harshly, fresh tears brimmed hotly right beneath the surface. "Sensei, you have to understand, I can't let you die."

"What are you saying? Leonardo!" He protested weakly as I gently lifted him from the chair. His hand grasped my shoulder. I choked when I could feel how weak his grasp was. "Leonardo, answer me..." He paused again to breathe deeply.

I held his body to my chest. His heartbeat seemed so slow and weak now. His breath fluttering. Tears brimmed in my eyes. "It's contagious, Sensei. The walking dead, their bite is contagious." My voice almost cracked, but I somehow managed to keep it somewhat neutral. The lump in my throat was painfully tight.

He had to think for a moment before realization finally what I said waded through the cobwebs in his mind and dawned in his eyes. Gasping, he looked at me. "NO! Leonardo, you cannot do this! Why did you not tell me!" He coughed and struggled to get out of my arms. It wasn't nearly as hard to resist the struggles as it should have been. Shrugging my arm back quickly, I got from my belt what I had picked out of my room earlier.

"You don't understand, Sensei, you can't die!"

"If I stay like this, I will!"

"No, you won't. You can't. Maybe you're immune-"

"Kill me, Leonardo."

It was the words that I didn't want to hear. The words that I knew that I would. My mouth opened but no words came out. Instead I shook my head. He just didn't understand, I couldn't bear to see him die. I couldn't bear to be helpless and for me to fail him, for him to go out of my life forever.

"Leonardo, listen to me." he rasped. "I will not subjegate my body as a vessel for that sort of vile evil. Allow me to die with the honor of a true warrior."

click!

The sound suprised him, piercing even through his clouded mind. He looked up, eyes wide as he saw that he was in his room. His mouth gaped open when he saw the handcuff around his wrist, the other end being on a pipe coming out of the ceiling by his bed. He was in shock as I laid him on his mattress with reverence and care. "You see, Sensei. It'll work. You won't die, but you can't end your life either. This is-"

With a sudden burst of movement belying his sluggishness his hand shot out, fingers digging into my neck. "YOU WILL NOT DO THIS!!! WE DIE!!!" he hissed. I tried to speak, but he was practically crushing my windpipe. His fingers dug into my flesh, my mouth gaped like a fish, trying to gulp air. Grasping his wrist, I tried to hold him at bay while trying not to hurt him. Teeth bared, his snout was inches from mine and his grip tightened. Spots bubbled in my vision...

Suddenly he let go and I staggered back, gasping for air with a throbbing throat. I looked at him with wide eyes. He was trembling, looking at his hand with a horrified look on his face. Tears brimmed in his eyes. Slowly he looked at me. "Leonardo, I can't...I won't-" He looked away, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please, give me your katana."

I shot to my feet. "No, Sensei. You can't die!" My voice cracked. I staggered backwards until my back was to his door.

"It was not a question! Give me your katana!" He gave a fit of coughing and slumped groggily into his mattress again. I turned, the ball in my throat was too tight to bear, my heart felt cold. Finally tears spilled down my cheeks. "Leonardo! Please, Leonardo!" His voice was so weak with none of the strenght he once posessed.

"_Please_!"

I took another step. My legs shook and my hand trembled.

"_LEONARDO_!"

The doors closed behind me with a snap before I broke down and sobbed.

But what else could I do?

* * *

A/N: Wow. That one was long! I hope that you didn't think that Leo went too nutso. As usual, let me know what you think, if you're losing interest or gaining, opinoins, predictions, whatever:)


	8. Preparations

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: I was gone for a bit on duty related stuff, and my department is still in shambles. On top of that, I finally check my computer and find many reviews inquiring about the stories that I let sit with no update and it's gotten me pondering on those. Now on top of everything else, my Deadly Dealings story has re-lit a fire under my butt and the Expectations story is starting to sizzle. Hope this puts things at bay for a while!

Chapter 8

Preparations

It was loud. Very loud. I had to scream at April to get her to hear me over the roar of the big deisel engines, asking if she was alright. She simply nodded minutely, eyes troubled. But now wasn't the time to talk. With a sigh I leaned back against the metal wall. It reverberated with the engine. I looked around again.

The compartment that we were in wasn't all that big, only big enough to fit about six adults. A long bench was on each side and was definetly not designed for comfort. I shifted again on the flat metal surface. Loose straps hung from the wall, probably to strap people in on bumpy rides. The dog, Rintintin, was flopped on the floor, snoozing soundly despite the roar of the engine and the jostling ride. You could barely see the driver, the marine that was so 'kind' to us. Most of the view was blocked by some machinery, pistons and enough of an arsenal to satisfy the most action packed Arnold Swartzenegger movie. C4, ammunition both for pistols, rifles and the little canon on the top of the machine were attatched securely to the walls among others that I didn't immediately recognize.

I just hoped that the marine didn't decide to make good on this threat of shooting us, because if he did then he sure wouldn't run out of ammo. Despite this I didn't feel like we made the wrong decision in going with him. In fact I couldn't think of a better way to travel through zombie infested lands than in an armored vehicle just like this. This in itself, of course, raised questions. What was this marine doing with this obviously expensive tactical equipment on his own? It could be something simple, like he's the only one left of his command. But then why did we see others traveling in the opposite direction that he was? Surely he'd want to join with others in his service. And what was with the dog? That was the marine's first priority, he only let us ride when the dog refused to budge without us. I looked down at the canine, who was twitching his legs while chasing something in his dreams. He looked like an ordinary german shepard, sure a little larger than normal, if anything. But at the same time, dogs were never something that I had studied extensively.

All that I could see of the marine was some of his back and his helmet, and ever since we had gotten into this vehicle about five hours ago he hadn't even spared us a backward glance. My stomach growled loudly. I shifted in the seat. My butt had gone numb about four and a half hours ago so trying to get comfortable was pointless, but I did it anyway. April sat across from me, looking gloomily out into nothing. I could practically see the horrors playing in front of her eyes, but didn't know what to do about it. The whole deep communication thing was never a strong point with me, the loud engine wouldn't help things either so I put it off, only sparing April worried glances that she never noticed.

We hit something that made the vehicle jump to the side. April clung to the straps to keep from falling, I did the same without thinking about it. Rintintin flopped onto his back, legs dangling in the air and tongue hanging out. He was still deep in dreamland.

One thing this time has given me plenty of time to do was think. Zombies. It just couldn't be true, it wasn't even rational. It didn't make any sense! Furiously my mind had been working hard to make some sort of sense of it. I went over what little I knew about the situation, and was dissappointed about what I could drudge up. It all seemed like I was basing everything off of some corny science fiction movie. Was a bite the only way it could be transmitted? Did it have a different effect on mutated beings such as myself? Could it infect animals? Were zombies even attracted to animals? Why do they want to eat flesh? Does it give them energy, like it would if they were alive? or are they simply consuming like a crack addict, desiring it but not really needing it? Is destroying the brain, like in the movies, really the only way to kill them? Why? What _gives_ them the energy to sprint after us? Do they decompose like regular dead? How does the virus operate? Is it even a virus?

What the shell is going on!!!

I slumped in my seat and plopped my face in my palms, shaking my head with pent up frustration. I wasn't used to having this amount of questions to answer without a means to test out different hypothesis and find answers! What I wouldn't give for a good, fully stocked laboratory right now...

I couldn't just link it all with movies and fiction. I couldn't. My mind working, I decided to make a hypothesis of my own anyway, and just hold onto it until I came up with something better or it was disproved. Immediately the cogs in my mind began whirring busily. Well, I like the idea of a virus, it's the only thing that could be virilunt enough and it explains the ability for it to be spread from person to person, just like any other disease. In fact, it is lin many ways like the rabies virus...except these people are dead. And rabies doesn't effect people like it does animals. I'll stick with it anyway. Now the destroying of the brain thing...so far as I've seen, it's proven to be true. The ultimate test would be if a disembodied head could still function but it don't think that I'll find that out in a long while. It makes sense that it's a neurological disease, rooting itself in the brain and attacking the nervous system. Possibly reanimating the dead, just like touching electricity to a carcass would make it twitch and jump. The fact that the people are dead doesn't matter, a great many viruses stay with the body long after death.

I realized that I didn't want to think of them as zombies any longer. It seemed to much science fiction. I needed to nurture the scientist in me. Well, I'll just name it myself then. I mulled over the latin words that I knew, picking and choosing the words that I liked. My brothers would be surprised how much latin I actually knew, but it made things a lot easier, since most medical terminology and scientific names for things were latin, not to mention that it was also the basis of nearly all languages. Finally I chose some out.

_Corpus Contagio Mortuus_. It meant souless infected, or contagious half/dead. Somehow it seemed to fit.

At that moment loud squealing emanated from around us and the vehicle started to lurch to a halt. We made a mad scramble to grab onto the straps to keep from toppling off the benches. Our canine companion slid across the floor until his skull connected with the wall with a _thunk_. Finally he woke up, shaking his head fiercely, causing dog slobber to fly through the air. Finally the mechanics came to a rest, though the double diesel engines still hummed, sitting idle. Without a word to us, the marine opened a hatch above him and climbed out. I stared after him, then looked expectantly at the door. Either he would open it, or he never would. I could open it myself, of course, but I couldn't see if there were any infected out there. If he never came, well then I'd know.

Instead of either, I heard a deliberate knock. April still hadn't moved so I crept over to the latch, bostaff in hand. Slowly turning it I peeked it open. Suddenly a strong hand grasped the opening and yanked it open sharply. Crying out in surprise I swung my bostaff out, solidly connecting with the person's head. The marine cursed loudly and made a grab for my staff. I yanked it out of the way, looking sheepishly at the man, who was glaring at me from under his helmet.

"What the f#k do you think you were doing, ya green freak?!" he snarled. I stared back at him. He didn't know that if he wasn't wearing a helmet, he might have a cracked skull right now. I opened my mouth to answer him but was bowled over by Rintintin. With the rackish sound of nails scraping across metal he sprinted out of the vehicle and to the marine. Smiling a canine smile, he proceded to cock his leg on the man's pants. Cursing, he kicked the dog in the ribs, looking at his wet pants in disgust. Rintintin didn't seem to notice the blow, but instead danced on his paws with a look on his face that I could only discribe as laughing. Then he scooted to the side, squatted, and proceeded to defacate on the concrete sidewalk all the while wagging his tail.

With April slowly crawling out of the vehicle, I studied my surroundings. It was a small town, one that I hadn't seen before. There seemed to be only one main street with shops and stores lining them. The best thing was that there wasn't a single zombie in sight. The bad part was, other than the pulverized dead (looks like our man ran over one of them, ick!) there wasn't a single other soul to be seen or heard. "Where are we?"

"F#k if I know." the marine growled. He glared at the dog, who was done with his business but stop to sniff his own work. "Nasty f#king animal. Pissing on me, I'll make you eat these goddamn pants!" Rintintin looked up at him, tongue lolling out and trotted over to April, who was sitting forlornly on the sidewalk. Sitting down beside her, he licked her neck and nuzzled her shoulder. Smiling for the first time all day she leaned against the huge canine and sighed.

"Ahem." The marine, still glaring at the dog, shot his gaze to me and raised his eyebrows. Yeah, he was still a trifle upset. "Uh, if you don't know where we are, why are we here?"

Hefting his rifle on the strap so it lay within easy reach uner his arm, he looked around. Now that the strap was gone, I could see his faded namepatch. It read Dickerson. Surprisingly I had to suppress a chuckle. "Well, for one there's no f#king zombies. That's always a plus, I say. For another, I'm f#king hungry and I figure that this place has some f#king food. Third, my legs are f#king stiff and I needed to get out and stretchem." Pausing, he looked at me out of one eye. "By the way, what the f#k are you anyway?"

I blinked. His extensive use of explatives was noticable, to say the least. I decided to ignore the language for now. Our life right now could very well depend on this man. "My name is Donatello, I'm a mutant ninja turtle. This is April O'neil, our friend."

"Our?"

Shaking off that familiar feeling of secrecy, I sighed. No use in hiding anything now. "I have three brothers and a father. I don't know where they are."

He whistled. "Wow, theres more of you freaks?" He grinned, saw my look and laughed out loud. "Don't worry, D, don't mean to _offend_, you should just see yourself...you're all green and shit."

"Imagine that." I said flatly. This man was really beginning to irk me.

"Are you going to look for them?"

A painful thought entered my head. "I don't know. By now they surely aren't in the Lair anymore, and they probably weren't prepared for the onslaught of the infected, hopefully they didn't..." I shook my head. "No, they're okay, but they're also probably scattered by now. I...I don't know what I'm going to do."

"So, you're a ninja, huh?"

"Yeah." I mumbled.

"Can you do a trick?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You know, like a backflip or some cool shit like that." He looked at me, mouth cocked in a rackish grin. He waved his arm in a poor imitation of martial arts. "Ninja stars and stuff."

I found my fists tightening. "No, I will not do a _trick_. It's not that I'm not grateful to you for rescueing us, but I think that we need to get to the matter at hand, don't we?"

All thoughts of getting me to do a trick seemed to vanish from his head as he put a hand to his belly. "Shit, you're right. Let's go find some f#king food or something." He hoisted his rifle, prepared to fire immediately if need be and walked forward with surprising caution despite all tha ruckus he just made.

Squating down by April, I put my hand on her shoulder. She didn't move. "April?" Rintintin peeked at me from her other side and nosed April's cheek. She put a hand on his head, gently scratching his ears. "April, we're going to find some food. Do you want to come with us or stay with the vehicle? If you go with us, you could use that bathroom..."I prodded gently, trying to encourage her to accompy us. She looked at me, green eyes saying something unreadable. Then without a word she got up. With a sigh I followed Dickerson, April trailing silently behind me. She was beginning to worry me. The shock of what happened to her, her home and to Casey had worn off and now she was just numb. The sad part was that I didn't know what to do to help her through it. Instead I was just silent we walked.

I looked appreciatively at our vehicle as we passed it. I had more of a chance to admire the structure now that we weren't running for our lives. "What is that, Dickerson?"

He started, looking surprised that I used his name. He looked at it and smiled warmly. "That, my friend, is a Light Armored Vehicle, or LAV. Twin deisel engines and about thirteen miles to the gallon. Weighs as much as three damn elephants. Amphibious and able to reach speeds of eighty to one-hundred miles per hour. Last ones were made during Vietnam and they're still running strong as a f#king bull. Designed to be run by three and carry six more. That pea-shooter there can shoot one big ass shot, too. Also a machine gun on a swivel turrett at the top. Yeah, we're in good f#king hands here."

I nodded appreciatively. My fingers itched for a keyboard, wanting to look up more on it. It seemed that out of all the vehicles to take this journey on, this was the right one.

Corpral Dickerson, as I found out his rank, broke into a tiny grocery store. Grabbing a cart, he walked swiftly down the isles, yanking things off the shelves without sparing them much of a glance. I followed him for a bit, unsure of his judgement based off his behavior thus far, but then saw that despite the supposed carelessness, everything he was getting was non perishable realatively healthy food. Leaving him to that, I wandered down the other isles until I came upon their little pharmacy. With a shopping bag of my own I filled it with every medication imaginable, cleared the shelves of antiseptics, bandages, and other first aid gear. Keeping in mind with hygeine, I snatched some soaps and toothbrushes. I moved on to snatch a set of knives, all the matches and lighters, along with all the tools that were stocked. My bag was stretched to the limit by the time that I was done.

The Corporal was already gone to the LAV, tossing all the foodstuffs in the back where we were going to sit. Lugging my own bag, I stepped through the open door. It still felt...wrong somehow. Yeah, we were getting this stuff to survive, but we were still looting. I looked around nervously. It was eerie to be standing in the middle of the street in broad daylight, even though it was completely deserted.

I eyed the back compartment warily. "Are you sure that we can fit back into there?"

"If you want to. Remember, I said that the LAV is equipped to be operated by three people, the driver, the commander, and the gunman. You and redhead can ride up front with me if you want. So long as Rintintin can fit, that's all that matters."

"Why is he so important?" I asked.

He looked at me, an unlit cigarrette hanging off his lip. "I'd tell ya, D," he said, cigarrette flapping, "but then I'd have to kill ya."

"But-"

A hand on my shoulder stopped me. Dickerson's eyes bored into mine. "I wasn't f#king kidding. Ask again and you and your friend can just walk your happy asses wherever you want to go. I won't tell you again." With that he turned and continued loading as though nothing went wrong. Emptying the cart, but seeing as only half the compartment was full, he walked back to the grocery store, presumably to go back for more. He turned his head to look at me. "Make yourself useful. See if you can't get the diesel fuel line open over there at the gas station."

It was more difficult than I thought. My natural instinct was to try the pump, but with no power, it wouldn't work. I toyed with it for a moment until I finally figured to use the tanks underground. Smacking myself for not thinking of it sooner, I cut the hose off the pump, opened the latch on the concrete ground and lowered it. He was lumbering over by the time I did this. Sucking on the hose to create a siphon, we filled the tank. He nodded appreciatively at the inginuity but said nothing.

He had put a tupperware container of water and opened a 50lb bag of dogfood for Rintintin, who somehow managed to find the cramped space left in the back comfortable. He was immediately snoring happily.

He crawled in first, followed by April, then me in the gunman's seat. "Where are we going?" I dared to ask as he fiddled with the controls.

Cigarrette smoke pooling around his head, he grinned. "The Great Lakes, my friend. The Great Lakes!"

* * *

A/N: Hope the delay didn't cause some of you guys to lose too much interest. Let me know what you guys think and get back to me!

Also, if you have any thoughts or ideas about possibilities with the stories that I've let sit for too long, let me know. The ideas or encouragement might fire up an idea and get things going in the right direction.


	9. Escape From New York pt1

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: I'm back from vacation and finally got things caught up in my department so I thought that I'd drop off another chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 9

Escape From New York City 1

This was not the plan. This was not the f#king plan!

First off, we were supposed to find a way back, but so much crap in the city had been destroyed somehow, not to mention the sea of stinkin' dead people, that simply wasn't feasible. It was obvious that the military had been in town, because amongst the broken buildings and structures, some of their toys were left behind. I glared at an abandoned jeep.

Freakin idiots.

On top of that, we were supposed to be ALONE right now! Instead our armored car is full of strangers that are giving us the typical look saying the typical thing: freaks and monsters. I growled as I looked behind me at Mikey and the people that we happened to pick up. Trust Mikey to be taking some sort of sick amusement about this. We're exposing ourselves to nine complete strangers while driving a modified stolen vehicle in broad daylight. Even I felt the sheer wrongness of the situation.

Not even attempting to suppress the growl in my throat I looked into the rearview mirror at them. Mikey was chatting excitedly to them, well actually only two of them. The huge black guy and the old fart. The rest of the people were huddled in the back, probably trying to decide whether or not to risk it with these green freaks or just take their chances with their dead friends outside.

The armored car shuddered and jerked a bit as I continued to plow through the undead masses. The shuddering worsened for a sec when with an audible snap it lurched back to normal. Probably got some freakin zombie limb caught up in there.

I looked in the side mirrors. Through all the blood and chunky stuff enough of the mirror was showing to give me a good look. We were making progress distance wise, but it was obvious that the zombies still left kicking in my wake were doggedly chasing after us, reaching out with hungry fingers. I didn't have a chance to lose them until I got to some open ground where I wasn't slowed down by teems of twitching bodies I was forced to plow over. God only knows what they're doing to my engine.

The only other place I knew other than this great city was Casey's farmhouse. That was more isolated, less human population; surely we'd be safe there.

Mikey sat in the back with our 'guests' talking up a storm, all worries gone for a moment as he was amongst people, in essence where he liked it best. I didn't want to disturb him in his reverie and bring him crashing back into the world where the dead were walking, we were separated from our family, and would likely never be able to come home any time soon. I shook my head. I wasn't sure how his innocent nature was going to take the hard truth and I didn't particularly care to find out.

The old fart was the only one to pay any attention to me. He just stared at me with his beady little eyes and his pruny face. I didn't like him already, especially from his comments earlier. He suddenly elbowed the huge black man and pointed a gnarled finger at me, saying something in his ear. Looking at me with his impassive eyes, he nodded and got up, excusing himself from Mikey. Smiling, he pointed a finger at the rest of our cowering 'guests.'

Grinning, my brother turned to them and immediately assailed them mercilessly with life threatening conversation. Most all of them except the Amazon woman and the loony old lady winced at his unwanted attention and huddled like frightened mice cornered by a cat. It looked like they wanted to melt into the wall. I couldn't help but grin at the sight.

The big man came forward and brushed between the two front seats, sitting in the passenger. The old man scooted forward until he sat behind them, poking his head between the two seats and assessing us with a sharp gaze.

I clamped my jaw shut and ground my teeth. The last thing I wanted was for these people to be getting closer to me, it's not like I was begging for attention like Mikey over there. If anything I thought that I made my opinion of them perfectly clear, but I guess some people are slower to learn than others.

We sat there for a tense stretch of time while I maneuvered the vehicle through the crowded streets. For some freakin reason, they seemed to be getting thicker; I was moving ten to fifteen miles an hour at best. Once again my finger twitched in the general direction of our weapons devices, and once again I didn't. Looking at that sea of human faces and firing seemed…unsettling. Plus, the buildings were so close together in this area I didn't want to risk hitting one and possibly survivors.

I stole a glance at the man next to me. His tightly curled black hair was just long enough to prove that he did indeed have hair and he wasn't in threat of losing it. His ebony features seemed remarkably gentle despite the fact that he was built almost as big as Hun. I wondered about him and when he'd finally try to say something, cause if he was waiting for me I might die of laughter.

"Thank you for helping us back there." Finally. It spoke.

I grunted in response, not taking my eyes from the windshield. Pressing the wiper button, we sat in silence as washer fluid shot onto the glass, helping to wash away the fresh spurt of zombie-blood as the wipers went to work.

He sat in silence as if waiting a more dignified response. Again I repressed a smirk. This guy didn't know me very well.

He sighed and tried again. "I realize that you aren't comfortable with us here, and I'm sorry for that. We were just trying to escape from the city for obvious reasons." He grinned, revealing perfectly straight, movie star white teeth. "It seems clear to me that you know where you're going, could you tell me where so that I might prepare the others? Despite you're friends' efforts, they are taking a great deal longer warming up to you then Peters and I."

Peters? He must be talking about the crotchety old man. And he didn't really want to know where we're going, or at least that's not the reason he was talking to me. He could've easily asked Mike, who'd have figured it out pretty quick. No, for some reason he deemed it necessary to break the ice with me. What does he do for a living, couple's therapy?

"Damnit, Simon, he ain't saying shit! I don't know why the hell you bother with this green freak!" The old man snarled, narrowing his eyes at me. "Look at him! God only knows where it's been! Why, I've-"

"Listen here, pops." I growled, muscles tightening. "Don't give me any of your bullshit. I'm the one driving through this shit. I'm the one who came over to help you guys with my brother. And I'm the one who agreed to let you stay. I could EASILY be the one to throw your wrinkled ass outside and see you duke it out with your dead friends out there!"

The black man, Simon I guess, opened his mouth to say something but the old fart cut him off. "Now you see here, boy! I didn't invite none of that, YOU did by being so rude to Simon here, who was only trying to have friendly conversation! Now if you won't do that..."

"You're pushing your luck, pops." I ground my teeth.

He snorted. "Luck? You don't look like one for luck, if you ask me. You look like a radioactive turd. But that's beside the point, isn't it? All he wanted to know was-"

Finally I turned to fix him with a glare. "Pops, you f#king piece of shi-"

"YOU call me 'pops' one more time and I'll 'pop' you one right up your ass, ya hear?" He stared right back at me, his thin, wrinkled neck craned forward and his nostrils flaring. I looked at his eyes and was somewhat surprised to find them unclouded and sharp.

Suddenly I thought of what we must look like, a burly teenage mutant and a skinny, cantankerous old man staring each other down in an armored car surrounded by zombies.

I broke out laughing.

Simon and Peters both looked startled as my chest was wracked with laughter. I slapped the steering wheel, still guffawing as a zombie head bounced off the hood of the car.

Finally Simon cracked a hesitant smile and Peters settled back, looking pleased with himself.

After that I found it easier to talk to them. Simon was a Reverend at a church in the city, which explained the vibe I got from him earlier. Peter's first name was Daniel and was a retired Navy officer, which I suppose might explain his spunk. I also got a lowdown of our human cargo. The Amazon lady was Simon's twin sister, Veronica. The spacey old lady was Peter's wife, Olivia, who apparently got that get-old-get-crazy thing going on. Everyone else was members of Simon's church.

I didn't reveal too much about us, but quickly found out that I didn't need to. Apparently Mikey had already told them our complete life story right down to bandana size. I'll have to remember to kick his ass later.

It was about this point in our conversation that the bullets rained down. Already used to the steady thumps and grinds of running over bodies, the _sharp ping ping ping_ took me by surprise. In front of me at the end of the street I could see a haphazardly formed blockade. Armored men appeared at the top, holding military rifles.

Clamping my jaw; I jerked the wheel to the side and found that I didn't have to plow through zombies. They were all already lying in the street with massive head wounds. Screams erupted from the back as I stomped my foot on the accelerator and shot over the carcasses. We bounced so hard that if I wasn't wearing a seatbelt I've been on the floor. I heard people fall on the floor behind me but ignored it. The rifle fire slowed, but still continued. Bullets ricocheted off the armor uselessly, but I still darted for an alley anyway. Who knows if they didn't have bigger artillery?

Completely oblivious to their fallen brethren, the zombies that were chasing me continued forward, screeching in high pitched voices. Suddenly the barrage of bullets on us stopped and went towards the undead. The piles of bodies started to get higher. I had nearly made it to the alley when we heard a voice go on loudspeaker. "This is a quarantined zone; no one may go in or out of it. Anyone who approaches the blockade will be fired upon, infected or not. Repeat, no not approach the blockade or you will be fired upon."

"We could've used that information five f#king seconds ago!!!" I snarled.

From behind me I could see the barrage of bullets continue. A few zombies got past and approached the barricade. An explosion rocked the street as the land mine detonated, sending shrapnel flying. An RPG followed soon after, finishing off his buddies. I grimaced. They build a freakin fortress!

At the end of the alley it opened up to a parking lot, which was surprisingly packed with cars of all sorts. None of them were in the actual parking spaces, they were simply strewn about. A series of connected five story apartments and townhouses surrounded the lot like a cul-de-sac with small walkways in between them.

Screeches came from behind as more zombies crowded behind me. Several others darted from the walkways, screaming their hunger. I tried to maneuver the vehicle but found that I couldn't, the parking lot was too packed, and the zombies were coming in from the alley too thick.

They were almost to us. I cursed loudly as my mind raced for a solution.

Suddenly gunfire erupted once more. But it was different; it was the sound of a shotgun. I looked up to see a young man leaning out a third story window, firing at the zombies. He was quickly joined by a slim woman with a handgun on the second story across the parking lot, and a fat old lady with another shotgun.

A door on the first floor opened and a red-haired matronly woman in a floral print appeared, waving a chubby arm at us. I didn't need to be told twice.

"ALRIGHT FELLAS, ABANDON SHIP!" I yelled, yanking my door open.

A zombie rushed at me with swollen eyes. My sai materialized in my hands and I thrust the weapon up it's jaw, into it's brain. Twisting harshly I yanked it out and darted around back to open the door. Mikey already had it open and half of the people were out. With quick, efficient movements I practically tossed everyone else out.

It became a mad rush to the open door, Mikey and I keeping the zombies at bay with the help of the people with guns. The woman holding the door widened her eyes at the sight of us but still ushered us in. She slammed the door behind us, deadbolting and locking it. The windows were boarded up with old pieces of wood and the room was dark. She wouldn't let us stay. "No! Not here! Upstairs, hurry!"

She practically shoved us towards the stairs as the zombies struck the front door, wailing hungrily. A heavyset man was at the top and ushered us in until finally shutting and locking the door behind us. The people that we had with us immediately started showering them with thanks. The woman, still looking at Mikey and I uneasily, ushered the people into her kitchen, especially the woman with the baby. Simon and Peters moved towards them as well, but then shifted back to us.

I could see why.

In the rooms were people, lots of people of all shapes, sizes, genders, and races; and they all looked worse for wear. One thing that they did have in common was that all of them stared at us with open mouths and bulging eyes. Several young men looked us over, as though assessing our threat. The man at the door, however, just stared at us with beady eyes. I noticed the shotgun slung easily at his side. Even as I noticed it he twitched his finger towards the trigger.

"What the f#king hell are you supposed to be?"

So it starts.

A/N: I was half asleep when I wrote most of that so please forgive any discrepencies. As usual, please tell me what you think of it, offer any predictions or ideas. You konw how much I love those!

Toodles!


	10. The Curse of a Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT 

A/N: Here's the next chapter! The word processor is messing up with the punctuation upon getting on ff. It's replacing my periods, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and others with various computer symbols for some strange reason. I looked through it, but if I missed one, please forgive! Hope this chapter isn't rushing things too much, but once I started writing I just couldn't stop!

Chapter 10

The Curse of a Promise

It was hell.

That's all that can be said about the situation. It was hell.

Master Splinter yelled for me for hours until he was finally too weak to project his voice. Then he just sobbed as I sobbed silently with him on the other side of his door. I didn't dare open the door to look at him for fear that I'd collapse or break down. We must have done this for days, because by the end of it I felt wretched, shallow and drained. Looking at the clock I saw that it had actually been only an hour.

I sat there, hands trembling, until my stomach started to rumble and immediately thought of Master Splinter. He must be hungry as well. I rushed over to the kitchen and set the teapot on the stove. Hurriedly I gathered a simple meal, the type he liked when he was sick. Some bread, butter, crackers, tomato soup and tea. My hands were shaking so bad that I spilled some of the boiling water for the tea on my hand. But I couldn't stop in helping Sensei get better, so I let it blister. Grabbing the tray, it took everything to not spill a drop on the way to his room. Nudging the door open with my foot, I carried it in.

I nearly dropped it when I saw him.

He lay sprawled on the floor, one wrist still shackled to the bedpost. His eyes were closed and his breathing was labored. His face also appeared oddly sunken in. Blood was slowly soaking the fur around the cuff on his wrist.

With a cry I placed the tray down and scooped him up in both arms. Holding him close to my chest as if he were he were the child and I the adult, I swiftly brought him over to his bed. He twitched and worked his mouth, gnashing his teeth as though he were a dog chewing on a bone. My own face was etched with anguish.

As I placed him down his eyes sprang open and he reached for me, grasping my arms with the trembling grip of a feeble, old man. "Leonardo! No please! I beg of you!"

As though not in control of his actions, he tried to bring my hand to his mouth. Gently I untangled my hand from him and placed his hand on his chest. I turned and he reached for me again, face etched with sorrow. "Leonardo, so hungry-"

"Yes, Sensei. I have some soup, bread and tea for you right here."

He shook his head with his eyes scrunched closed. "NO! Not that." He struggled to relax, trembling slightly as though straining. "No, not that." He whispered hoarsely. When he opened his eyes again, something different was clouded in them. "Please, let me die, Leonardo! Kill me, please! I do not want to hurt you my son-"

Hot tears brimmed in my eyes as I clasped both hands around his. "No, Sensei, don't worry. You'd never hurt me, I know you wouldn't. Don't even think about that. Please. What we're doing now, it's for your own good! You'll get better! I know you will, you have to. Just go along with it for now and eat this." I picked up the bread and spread some soft butter on it.

He looked at me with bloodshot eyes, breaths still coming in short, quick gasps, clutching at the sweat-stained sheets like an animal. Suddenly he lunged for me, arm reaching around my shell. All I saw out of the corner of my eye was his mouth moving towards my shoulder and I reacted. Whipping around on the ball of my foot I resisted the instinctual urge to grab for my weapons and instead pushed Master Splinter back swiftly with a light but direct blow to his chest. He fell away easily, hitting the wall and flopping on his bed, panting as though the effort of it cost him dearly.

I stood there, trembling at the shock of what I had just done and how easy it had been. I had just struck my own master. And he was so weak, I was able to not only block but make an effective counterattack with one light strike. He was losing strength so rapidly. And look at how I reacted! I had immediately assumed the worst, even though I knew that he'd get better...

Blinking slight tears from his eyes, he looked up at me sadly. As he spoke his voice trembled. "I was reaching for your katana, Leonardo."

His words hit me like a battering ram so hard that I staggered slightly. With trembling legs I hit my knees and bowed before him respectfully. "I-I'm sorry, Sensei! Please accept my apology; I don't know what came over me! I'm so sorry!"

"No, Leonardo." I looked up at me and saw him staring at me, still lying down in such a way that it looked too difficult for him to raise himself up. "You reacted properly. I am infected, which is all the more reason for my life to stop here." He turned his gaze away as he flopped his head down. His eyelids drooped and his body seemed to melt into the mattress. It was as though it was too much of an effort to move. "My body feels as though it is not my own, I feel panic deep in my heart that despite meditation will not stop. It simply beats too fast. The food you brought to me brings no desire to my eyes, yet I am hungry. But when you are near, I..." He squeezed his eyes shut and took a shuddering breath. "I am ill, Leonardo, in the worst possible way. Please understand what I say."

Hot tears poured down my cheeks as I looked at my Sensei, my father. He looked so deflated. So...beaten. Would he do this to me? I couldn't answer that. But I liked to believe that he'd follow my wishes. Surely I could do the same? I didn't think that I could do that, though. The sheer thought of raising my own katana to my father was more than I could bear. But doing what I was doing wasn't working for him either.

Licking my lips and wiping at my wet cheeks, I finally spoke. "I - I understand, Sensei. I truly do." I looked at him. He didn"t budge a muscle, just looked off into nowhere. God, I was so scared. How could I even be thinking this? "But surely you must understand what I'm trying to do. I -" My voice cracked and I choked, bringing on a fresh onslaught of tears. I continued relentlessly. "I can't just kill you! I can't."

"Leonardo, I-"

"No, Sensei, please!" He stopped, looking resigned. With a breaking heart I realized that he was too weak to argue any longer. "I promise, I swear on my honor that if you turn... turn into one of, uh, one of them that I'll do what I must. But not until then! Don told me before that some diseases get worse before they get better, what if this is one of those? For all we know you could be just fine in a few days! I don't know what I'd do if... Please, Sensei. Father. Trust me. If the worst happens, I will not let your body be a carrier. I swear it."

He was silent for a long moment, until he finally breathed out, as though he were holding it. His voice sounded resigned but hopeful. "Alright, Leonardo. I do trust you, my son. Please, when the time comes, do not hesitate. Check the chain; I think I may have strained it. You must watch out for your safety, you must find your brothers and bring the family together again."

My heartbeat was fast as I drilled my eyes into the limp form of my Sensei. "Yes, Master Splinter, I promise."

His hand twitched towards me and cautiously I crept towards him. With trembling hands, he gently cupped my cheeks. Struggling, he sat up slightly and looked deep into my eyes with his own. I was shocked when I saw how milky they were. But he was still in there. It was still him. Slowly, as if he was tired, he laid his forehead on my own so that our noses touched. Whispering, he said "Leonardo, my son. Whatever happens, please know that I love you like nothing else ever known; just as I love Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael. Tell them that. Where I am going, it will be good. I will wait for you, but do not rush to see me. We shall see each other in due time. Remember, my son, that no matter how things turn out _I love you. I love you. I love you_."

Lifting his head up he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead and collapsed slowly back into his bed, seemingly exhausted from the effort.

I was trembling all over, my eyes swimming with tears. It sounded as though he was saying goodbye, and in a way, I think that he was. That was what scared me. It was like he was trying to convince me, get me prepared. I couldn't stand it, yet deep down I realized that it was true. It was unlikely that he would come out of this. No, NO!

Leaping up I sprinted out of the room. I made it halfway across the common area until I tripped and fell against the bridge. I curled in a ball and clutched my head, sobbing into my hands. I choked, wheezed, and let it pour out.

I don't know how long I lay there, but it seemed like forever. I felt helpless, confused, scared. He was in there, potentially dying, and there was nothing that I could do to help him.

Seized by a sudden thought, I leapt to my feet and raced to Don's lab. Practically tossing everything aside, I opened the medical closet. Feverishly I ransacked through it, inspecting bottles filled with pills, capsules, and liquid. Most of the names were lost to me, and most didn't have the traditional medical stickers over them professing their name, but instead a plain white sticker with a 15-letter name scrawled across it in Don's hurried handwriting. Beside it was something stating the medicines dosage, 80mg, 50cc ect. Obviously Don knew what they meant, but I didn't. For all I knew, one of these could be the cure to hiccups and the other to treat a heart attack. Mikey knew what a lot of these meant, he was usually Don's assistant of sorts, and therefore could step in should Don be out of commission. But obviously neither was here. Tears welling up I plowed through the bottles anyway, bouncing them across the shelves and causing some to roll on the floor. It was only after I did this that I realized that Don must've had some sort of system. Surely he'd have all the pain meds in one area, fever in another and so on. And here I had messed them all up!

I plopped hard on my bottom, leaning against the med cabinet, pushing my fists into my head. How could I be so stupid! Here Master Splinter's life depended on me, and I might have just messed up the only chance that he had!

Clenching my teeth together, I smacked my head into the med cabinet repeatedly with the words stupid, stupid, stupid! Radiating through my mind. The steel med cabinet vibrated harshly with each blow, rattling bottles skipped across the surface and bounced on the floor beside me. It was then that I heard a slight scrape of metal on metal. Looking up in time to see a metal scale slip from the top of the cabinet straight towards my head, everything went black.

* * *

The first thing that I was aware of was a stabbing, throbbing, fiery pain in my head. When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry and crooked. I realized that I was lying on the floor. Upon trying to get up, the wound in my head threatened to relieve me of what little I had in my stomach, so I laid back down for a second to let it settle. Gingerly I felt the wound and winced. I not only hit my head, I gashed it. A swatch of skin so thick was curled under itself that I almost imagined that I was touching my skull. Craning my neck up, I saw lying beside me a scale, with two platforms, a measuring device, all sitting on a rectangle metal platform. One sharp edge of this platform sported blood and a thick piece of tissue. Just looking at what it had gleaned from my skull made me feel woozy.

Carefully I sat up, taking care with the waves of nausea that washed over me. After a little scrounging, I found the familiar first aid kit that all of up had used countless times. Some gauze and Neosporin would do for now.

Suddenly the issue in my mind rushed back to meet me. Master Splinter!

Getting up too quickly, I staggered a bit, and then made it out of the lab. The Lair was bright and cheerful as always. Groggily I wondered how long I was out, but even after seeing a clock I couldn't remember for the life of me what time it was when I got knocked out. After some careful thinking I assumed that it was anywhere to a couple of hours to half a day. The rattles began to settle in my brain so the trip to Sensei's room wasn't as difficult as it was in the lab. Crouching discreetly by his rice paper door, I rapped on the wood. "Master Splinter?"

No answer.

I tried again, with the same result. A cold, uneasy feeling swept over my stomach as the worst thought settled through my mind. With a trembling hand I eased the door open.

His room was in shambles. All the candles were out, casting a pitch blackness to envelop the back part of his room. The light cast through the open door illuminated little. My mouth was completely dry as I stepped lightly over a multitude of broken Japanese fans, ripped silks, and pulverized incense sticks. Ironically the only thing left untouched was the tray of tomato soup, bread and tea I had left earlier. My heart thudded hard in my chest as I approached his bed. With my chest threatening to collapse under the strain, I finally brought it into enough light to see it.

Everything was in place in his bed, only the pillow was stained red with blood. The rank odor clung to the air. Briefly I wondered what could cause so much blood, when I saw his paw dangling from the cuff, with a piece of chewed off arm still sticking to it.

Immediately repulsed, I staggered backwards, my hand clutching my mouth to keep me from emptying my stomach. My shell hit the rice paper door with a loud rattle as I simply stood there, trembling. Tears welled up in my eyes. I knew what this meant. I knew what had happened to Master Splinter.

Before the slight rattle of the door was even halfway through, a piercing scream filled the room. My eyes widened in pure shock as I saw an enraged Splinter, one hand hooked into claws, the other not there at all, stare straight at me. His fur was matted looking and his body held tight. Tail whipping around violently, he snapped his teeth in the air at me. They now looked menacing for the first time. His eyes held fury and rage, yet at the same time held nothing. My Sensei wasn't there, he wasn't there.

Letting out another animalistic scream, he charged like a wild beast, leaping straight into the air at me like something possessed. He crashed into me, making us both fall through the fragile rice paper doors. We tumbled painfully down the steps, though he didn't seem to feel a thing. He clawed, waved, and grabbed at me, forever trying to reach me with his snapping rodent's teeth. Tears free flowing down my cheeks, I held him at bay, trying to be careful of the teeth, the claws, and the bloodied stump that was waved in my face.

Finally we hit the bottom. Carrying the momentum, I rolled onto my shell and kicked into his chest with both feet, sending him flying over my head. He twisted like a cat in mid-air, landing lightly on his feet. No sooner had they touched the ground, then he was charging at me once more. With a cry I grabbed both forearms as he came at me, his arms so thin I could touch my fingers and thumb together around them. He still kicked at me, snapping his jaws like a piranha. Suddenly he jerked his arm down and his stump slipped from my grasp. Immediately he assailed me.

Yelling out loud I reacted on instinct, instinct that HE taught me. When his teeth came within mere centimeters of my cheek, I grabbed a hold of his neck and jerked it to the side sharply, twisting at the same time. The loud crack of the many vertebrae was audible. With my other hand I wrenched it up. Arthritic bones snapped in his arm. His head flopped uselessly to the side, but still it stared at me, snapping those jaws. Somehow, though, it did effect the rest of his body. It wasn't as strong, wasn't as forceful┘maybe his broken neck interfered with the electrical signals his brain was sending or something.

Either way, I was horrified by what I did. Immediately I dropped his arms and leapt back, my entire body trembling violently. My cheeks were wet, but no more tears burned my eyes. I think that I actually ran out.

Splinter screamed ineffectually at me, his head hanging down his back. Finally he tripped and fell on his chest. Immediately seeing me, he scampered over to me like a true rat, his head dragging on the ground like another piece of garbage along with his one good hand. He hoisted himself along on his bloodied stump, using it like a peg.

With a shaking hand I withdrew my katana. The blade sang in the air with an almost cruel note, as though it knew its purpose this time around.

Still Splinter came at me.

I could hardly keep the blade steady, I was shaking so bad. My stomach felt devastatingly sick and my muscles as weak as water. Every inch of me rebelled against what I was about to do. Somehow fresh tears appeared in my eyes as a painful knot formed in my throat.

Still Splinter came at me.

"Please don't, please Sensei..." I knew he couldn't here me, He wasn't there. My hands tightened on the grip and I raised it up high. Sweat made my palms slippery, but I refused to lose my grip. I had promised something to him. I couldn't let him live like this. Surely he must know what I am about to do!

Still Splinter came at me.

A wracking sob tore through me as I brought the katana down. The tip of the blade pierced the top of his skull, driving deep. The end tore out of his throat and hit the floor with a loud ping that pierced my ears like no sound had ever done before.

Splinter froze abruptly on his mindless track. Blank eyes staring ahead at nothing, he gave a little shudder and collapsed on the ground, sliding down the steel blade like a toy might. With a cry I yanked it out and threw it aside. Sobbing, I hit my knees beside the still form, arms reaching out to him, as though expecting a hug.

But no hug would come. I had killed him. I had killed my own father and master. With another loud cry I scooped him up in my arms and hugged him to my cheek. He hung over my arms like a damp towel, his head and stump dripping blood ineffectively on the floor beside me. Like a child I buried my face in his fur and inhaled the familiar scent. It was a scent of family, of belonging, of discipline, of purpose. And I had just killed all of those with one move. It was a scent I would never breath again.

My brain told me that it was the right thing, that he didn't want to live like that, that I had even made a promise to end it if he became like that but my heart wouldn't listen. I had just killed everything dear to me, in my own wretchedness I had just ended it. His fur soaked in my tears as it did when I was a child and crying came easier to me. The thought brought on a fresh onslaught as I vividly remembered all my childhood memories, all with Master Splinter so close to my side. Teaching me, raising me, loving me, caring for me, being everything and anything all at the same time. Now he was gone. My brothers are gone. I'm alone. I have killed everything.

Holding him close to me I rocked back and forth like a scared child on my heels, whispering into his tear-soaked fur.

_"I love you, I love you, I love you..."_

_

* * *

_

A/N: Well, put in your opinions, predictions, thoughts, and everything that happens to pop into your noggin after you read this into a nice, juicy review please!

Toodles!


	11. April

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT

A/N: As a poor excuse, I will report that despite over 15 days of feeling the urge to write I didn't because of the following: BAD computer virus, understaffing at work (2 instead of 10) and upcoming nationwide inspection for health care institutions, husband leaving for basic training (joining the military), being a geographical single mom of a 1 year old for the first time, being sick for two weeks, getting ready for a family wedding and having to choose orders but being delayed nonetheless. I've had it a bit hectic lately (to put it mildly) but honestly I've been itching to write this next chapter and opportunity has struck. The baby's asleep, I myself can't seem to sleep worth a damn (once again) so what to do, what to do...:)

Chapter 11

April

The vehicle still vibrated with every millisecond. being away from the back compartment was somewhat of a relief. Instead of the hard metal benches we had hard seats. At least there was a curvature to them. The seat that I was in was the one on the top and there was a little hatch where I could pop it up and look around, but I didn't think of it. Dickerson wasn't kidding when he said this thing could go 100 mph. He was using every bit of those twin deisel engines to do just that.

I glanced at April as she continued to stare into space, probably still thinking of Casey. Her eyes were listless, almost blank. Her vibrant red hair was mussed, her face slightly dirty from the explosion and the rescue. Still, despite all of it she still looked elegant and beautiful in my eyes, a revelation that surprised me even though I knew that it wasn't fresh information in my mind. It had been there always. I don't think that she even had the capacity to care about her physical appearance right now, even if she could then she still wouldn't see herself the way that I saw her right now.

The next to enter my mind was the dog, Rintinitin, as he still probably managed to sleep despite the vibration and the consuming noise. I narrowed my eyes studiously at the thought of the zombie's blood still staining his muzzle. He hadn't shown any signs of becoming a zombie dog yet, was there even a chance? Was it possible? How was the disease passed? Obviously from a bite, but what if you bit it? Would the virus survive the digestive tract? Could I even recognize the signes if I saw it? It was obvious that whatever disease this was caused by is transferrable by bodily fluids, which he was directly introduced to, so would he 'change'? If yes, then how long would it take? The questions in my head plaugued me to no end.

April also disturbed me to no ends. She seemed insistent in remaining in the state of constant daydreaming, detactched from reality, what about I could only guess; though likely it had to do with Casey. I knew she blamed herself for it, but no matter how much I tried to convince her otherwise she remained unresponsive. To put it lightley, her mental state alarmed me by several degrees. If words had no impact, I tried touching her. These were met by either complete ignorance or a violent pushing away. Either way it wasn't a good sign. If anything, she was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder so far as I could tell, I felt nonetheless at a complete loss to help her with anything. That realization left me shaking with guilt and distress.

And then once again I touch upon Dickerson, the man with a mysterious 'mission' that he is relentless to carry out despite the rest of his unit either being dead or gone; himself forgotten. Or was he? It was possible that he was sent on an assignment as a solitary soldier? But that didn't seem to fit it either. Why in the world would someone send a person like him instead of someone more...professional?...serious?...higher ranking? After all, he was only a corporal...then again appearances had decieved me before. Dickerson might surprise me yet, though I wasn't holding my breath. His death threat was still very fresh on my mind, I didn't want to push it.

Finally the LAV rumbled to a halt and I was able to open the hatch and clamber out. The first thing that greeted my eyes was Dickerson leaping off the upper hatch, fumbling with his zipper, and letting loose a thick yellow stream with a sigh. I grimaced and looked away with April until he was finished with his public display.

Rintintin rushed out in a flurry of excitement that only a dog could replicate. Sniffing avidly at anything and everything, he barked, wagging his tail wildly. April was slower to get out, looking about silently, and finally stepping out only to stand quietly beside the vehicle, looking at the ground.

I hated seeing her this way, and looked at her with saddened eyes. Still staring off into nothing, she didn't notice.

It was almost dusk and a tiny Wal-mart was across the street. The rest of the area consisted of fast food places, small stores, and a couple of restaurants. It was a realatively small town and appeared deserted. I didn't recognize the area, perhaps Dickerson was choosing more remote locations to decrease our chances of running into zombies? Didn't seem likely, but like I'd said earlier, you never know about people.

Dickerson motioned over to me. Reluctantly I went over to him.

"Hey, you'll want to get your girlfriend in the LAV while you and I clear out that store over there. That's as good f#king place as any to spend the night. A place like that will have sleeping bags, electric stuff, nicotine and food and everything. Just gotta make sure thar ain't no f#king dead things floatin' around, ya hear?" I nodded, understanding despite his crudity of language.

With placating words I convinced a still silent April back into the LAV. She complided without complaint or sound. Once again my worry increased. Rintintin leapt between us, yapping happily. Quietly Dickerson handed me a semi-automatic rifle. I hefted it reluctantly, but could instantly see the benefits over fighting the infectious undead with this instead of my bostaff. After checking the cartridges I was ready.

Dickerson, Rintintin and I slowly crept towards the shopping mall. Nudging open the doors with our rifle buts, we let the dog in and then followed suit. Keeping and eye on the german shepard was important, with his canine he knew things were coming before we could and would tell us one way or another. He acted perfectly, scouting and sniffing alertly instead of running off like an untrained dog. As we slowly covered the area of the department store, I was surprised at how professional Dickerson acted, despite his crude attitude and unintelligent demeanor. Apparently when it came to weapon handling and fighting, he was a good one to count on which was good enough for me at this point. He held his weapon lightly but expertly, and when we came across our first zombie he was the first to fire.

It was only one zombie, bursting out of the sporting goods section, shrieking at us in hunger. With a single flick of his trigger finger Dickerson had half his head blown apart before my finger could react. I could use the excuse of my bulky, large finger or of my unfamiliarity with a firearm, but either way I silently acknowledged his superiority with the type of weapon that was likely needed for all future combat with the undead.

We came upon several others,all dispatched in a similar fashion, but not nearly as many as I had expected. Finally, we cleared the whole area of the inside of the store. Considering the minimal number of zombies it was surprisingly easy to accomplish. Then, making the rounds, we locked and barricaded all other entrances to keep it undead-free.

"I'll get some bedding ready for the night, you go fetch your lady-chick." He grunted.

I scowled. "I'd really apprediate if you'd stop regarding her in that way. She's a brilliant scientist and an amazing person; she's been through a lot and deserves your respect.!" I snapped.

Twirling his fingers in an exaggerated persona of a drama queen he stated in a high pitched voice "Oh, sorry ma'am! And here I thought we were fighting for our f#king lives here! Silly me! It's just by the way you were looking at her I thought you two were at least boning each other in secret or something!"

My face instantly heated up as I glared at him. I knew it showed. At first my mouth worked and nothing came out, the shock and anger seemed to lock my voicebox.The unfamiliar fury swept up me as I gritted my teeth. "Shut up you...you dick!" I growled, fists clenched. I realized how my comeback sounded and blushed deeper.

Grinning, as if it was a game, Dickerson put his hands on his hips and spoke in his best imitation of a gay person. "Wow! You know, based off that pitiful comeback you don't shape up to much more then a f#king zombie yourself! You certainly match in the brains department!" He laughed out loud, slapping his thighs. "Let us make the beds so he can f#king bone her in style, little pooch!" Grinning he looked at me. I must've been as purple as my bandana from embarrasment and anger because he snickered and obviously felt the need to provoke me further. "Eh, Don?" I narrowed my eyes at him as he cocked his leg, sighed, then rambled off to the camping equipment was held, where he could find sleeping bags and air mattresses..

My fists trembled as I watched him wander off. Was this really what Raph felt? If it was anything like this at all, then I knew I could never blame him for a hot-headded thing again in my life. This was almost too much for me to handle! Or maybe it was just Dickerson and being away from my family that made me feel this way. After all, I don't have the usual support and confidence, and Dickerson could live up to the first four letters of his name without any help from me. I looked after him until finally the smell hit my nose and I literally choked. Dear god, did he eat the dog's excrement or something! Gagging, I backed away from the infected area.

With a sigh I went to get April. She followed me in the same listless manner that she had been. No matter what I said she wouldn't respond with anything more than a faint smile or a nod. My thoughts were so jumbled that I couldn't think of what to do.

My thoughts continued to drift to my family. As I got out an inflatable mattress and began to pump it with the electronic air pump in an open space by electronics as I mulled over the possibilities. Leo wouldn't let anything bad happen to them, he would die himself before letting anything like that happen. Then again that was one of the things that I was worried about, because try as I might to do otherwise, I could easily picture that happening. Raph might have a protective streak that allowed him to successfully take charge at times, but for any great length of time? I wasn't so sure. Mikey would be scared out of his skin right now, he freaked when we faced the underground monsters, this must be something like his worst nightmare. He would still be able to function, but to what extent? Then there was Sensei. He was definetly pretty fit for his age, but only for certain things. His age definetly showed at times. He could hold his own in a fight, could sprint after the rest of us, but not nearly with the same level of difficulty. He would tire after traveling any distance on foot, same with any extremely strenuous fight. That fight when the Shredder returned to NY he was spent.

I shook my head. There was nothing that I could do right now. The world is overcome by zombies and I didn't even know where I was at the moment. We literally spent two straight days traveling. I suppose that I could've chosen to leave and go back to New York, but with April like that? And Dickerson was right about one thing, we were much safer in an area with sparse populations. New York City definetly didn't apply. In such a small area, the skyscrapers and other multiple story buildings meant people were just stacked upon each other. The zombies were probably still feasting on the bones.

The thought made me shiver and a cold feeling creep inside my gut. Who's to say that it wasn't the bones of my family? Suddenly I felt like a coward. I abandoned my family at a time when they needed me most. I ran to save my own skin. Feeling the stress, I sat on the mattress, cradling my head in my hands.

A small sound behind me instantly brought me to my feet, bostaff slipping easily into my fingers. As Rintintin looked up at me, wagging his tail slowly I relaxed. "What are you doing here, fella?"

The canine cocked his head and studied me with curious, intelligent eyes. For the second time I began to get a funny feeling about those eyes. He licked his muzzle and trotted around a shelving unit. I looked after him until he came back within seconds with something in his jaws. He dropped it unceremoniously at my feet and loped off, nails clicking on the tile. I looked at the object and found it to be a relaxation CD. Dumbfounded, I got up and looked for the dog, but he was already gone.

Definetly curious.

* * *

Somthing shook my awake. With the relaxing music and the soothing sounds of waves still playing harmoniously on my eardrum I was slow to arouse at first, but when it touched me again I instantly tensed, eyes wide open.

April was staring straight at me, her face inches from my own.

"April?" I mumbled, pushing the covers off me. She backed up, squatting on the floor, still staring at me. "April," I rubbed my eyes, "what time is it?" Looking at the electric clock I snagged I saw that it was one in the morning. "What are you doing? Did you have a bad dream?"

She had showered and was wearing a fuzzy pink robe that covered her completely. Her breath also smelled strongly of alcohol. Immediately I grew concerned. "How much have you had to drink, April?"

She only stared at me and smiled, swaying slightly on her feet. I got up and reached for her. Clasping my hand firmly, she allowed me to help her up. "Let's get you to bed so you can sleep this off. Why did you do this April? I've never known you to drink!" She was oblivious to my chastisement and on her first step staggered and fell against a DVD rack, sending them and herself to the floor. Immediately I rushed to help her. Still smiling demurely she stood, but only with effort. I shook my head. She must be heavily intoxicated. "Alright, where did you put the mattress I pumped for you? Let's go lay you down."

"Yes, please."

I smiled and nodded. "Alright then, if you'll just point the way..."

She twirled, staggered slightly and fell against my plastron. "I said yes, please." She gripped my shoulders, every inch of her pressing against me.

Butterflies fluttered violently in my stomach as her warm body touched mine. Tenderly I touched her wrists with my fingers, gently pushing her away. "Ah, eh, um..._gulp_...alright April, where is it?" Her eyes were still locked with mine and I felt my knees tremble. There was no way in the world that I'd be getting any more sleep tonight. That much was for sure.

Taking her wrists out of my hands she wrapped them around my neck. "Don't you like me, Donny?" She slurred her words. Pressing her body against mine again she continued to stare into my eyes.

"O-o-of c-course I d-do, April! It's just that-"

"Brilliant suggestion, Donny! Lay me down!" She pressed her face into the crook of my neck, breathing warmly and swaying.

Immediately I realized the implications of what that slang term could be used to describe. The butterflies in my stomach went wild and flurried about my body. Goosebumps prickled my skin and my palms became damp. My mouth gaped but nothing came out. I was frozen yet on fire. She nuzzled my bare skin, trailing her lips across it. Suddenly I felt light headed. "A-April! P-please! You don't know what you're doing! You're heavily intoxicated! You don't want me! You've never wanted me!"

Then my poor little legs gave out and I collapsed on the mattress, with April flopping on top of me. The sheer intimacy of the situation was sending chills up my shell. "Who says I don't, Donny boy? You were just never available!" I immediately opened my mouth to protest but then her hand trailed down my plastron, traveled over my belt and touched me.

A feeling traveled up me like a bolt of lightning and my breath caught in my throat. "You-you don't want t-to do this." But the fight had vanished from my voice. She propped herself up on her elbow, stared at me in a way that I'd dreamed about for ages and kissed me. Her mouth was soft and beautiful. Her breath still smelled strongly of alcohol but I didn't care. Bells rang, fireworks went off, and nations celebrated. When I opened my mouth to her gently probing tongue, I drank deep of her. It was like nothing and everything that I'd ever dreamed of.

Gently I touched her hair and pulled her away. I studied her eyes. "April, what I want doesn't matter. You might want to now, but trust me, you'll regret it in the morning. You don't want me." She only gave me a wistful smile and dragged herself down my body. I stared after her curiously and anxiously. Was she leaving? She should, she-

Suddenly all thoughts vanished from my head when her mouth replaced her hand. I grasped at the sheets in fistfuls, my mouth gaping wide. A fiercely intense sensation boiled over me in molten waves. Electricity shot shrough my veins, seizing my muscles in ectasy. I knew that I couldn't stand it much longer. Something strange clicked inside of me and with a odd low, gutteral sound I grabbed her shoulders, dragged her up to me and kissed her fiercely and passionatly.

I definetly wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

* * *

A/N: I hope with all hopes that this is not too racey for fanfiction. If anyone suspects ANYTHING please let me know and I will delete the chapter! Better that than the story. 

I had been planning this scene from the beginning and hope that no one considers anything OOC. I did my best to keep Don's POV accurate. He's the hardest out of all four for me. In any case, hope I gave you something to think about. PLEASE input all suggestions and predictions, because despite my planning this scene for months...I haven't given much thought to the aftermath. So...yeah. Looking forward to your reviews!

Toodles!


	12. Escape From New York pt2

Corpus Contagio Mortuus soulless infected/contagious half dead

Sorry that this took so long! But with all that's happened, to say it's been 'busy' isn't entirely accurate. As well with getting everything ready with things at work, home, and my upcoming move to who-knows-where, I had to deliver my hubby's truck. So getting up at 0200 in the morning and driving 2500 miles through 6 states, I got delayed when my phone suddenly stopped getting signal everywhere. I got lost, found an entire interstate closed down, and got to Illinois during rush hour in one of the worst snow storms in years. After surviving fishtailing, successfully getting out of a spin, and getting out of a snowdrift I finally slid sideways through an intersection and plowed into another vehicle less than three miles from my destination. Yeah. It's been interesting. But I've been wanting to get back to this story so bad and couldn't wait so here it goes!

Chapter 12

Escape From New York pt 2

I stared at the man pointing the gun at us and clenched my teeth together. Tightening my fists I stared from the gun to the man holding it. He was looking at me with an unwavering gaze that was nonetheless hesitant. My lip quirked slightly. He was already getting used to the thought of blowing the heads off of the walking dead, but obviously hadn't expected to come across a five foot talking turtle. He was nervous and it was showing.

"What the hell is that thing, Dad?" A lanky teenager clutching a large kitchen knife peered at me from behind the wall leading into the living room. My head whipped around and I grinned at him; but it wasn't a nice one. Looking nervous, he backed up a couple of steps, fingering the knife nervously. Several others of various ages wandered in sight, surrounding us. All held some sort of weapon.

Mikey, Simon and Peters stood behind me while I looked around silently, assessing the situation. Mikey looked at me with a worried expression. It wasn't looking good, but I stayed silent. My brother followed my lead.

Simon cleared his throat. "Surely, my friend, you would not injure our rescuer after you assisted in rescuing him in turn? It doesn't seem at all proper or humane, this is a time to bind together, to unify. We cannot do that if we threaten each other's lives."

"Humane? Puh!" He held the shotgun slightly more steadily, but still with blatantly apparent unease. In my eyes, he was quaking in his boots. "Do these green freaks look human? For all I know they're infected like the ones outside! Maybe this is all their fault!"

The people around him choroused in agreement. I shifted my weight. This wasn't looking good, the guy was obviously ranting and pulling things from his ass but the others agreed to him anyway. I kept my mouth clamped shut, something told me that my addition to the conversation wouldn't help the situation. My muscles tensed, waiting. I knew my time would come.

"Didn't you just hear me? These two rescued the lives of my companions and I! What could be more humane than that?" The big black man argued.

The man's eyes went wide. "For all I know you're with them! How the hell do I know that what you're saying is even true? You could kill us all!"

Peters snorted derisevly. "From the looks of it, you're in more of a danger of doing that than this green blob. He's probably got more balls than you."

"Shut up!" The man shouted, pointing the gun at the old man. The people started looking a bit nervous, the man was getting out of hand. "If they're humane, why the hell don't they talk?"

Simon opened his mouth but Peters beat him to it. "Cause you've got a freaking gun shoved up their ass, and if they move wrong you might blow it away!"

The shotgun got more direction, aiming straight at Peters, away from me and Mikey. His lips tightened and he fingered the trigger.

Now was the time.

My tense muscles, waiting to explode, went into action. My hand shot out and firmly gripped the barrel of the gun. With a harsh twist I wrenched the thing from his grasp. The end exploded in fire, puncturing the ceiling with buckshot. Jerking the weapon out of the man's surprised grasp, he only had time to give me a look of shock and horror as I slammed the butt of the thing into his temple. Without so much as a moan he crumpled to the floor.

The rest of the people stood in shocked silence for a moment as I expelled the spent cartridge, felt the man's pulse to be sure he was still good, and propped the weapon on my shoulder.

I waited for one of these dumbass people to say something but no one said a thing. They just stared in fear at the scary green monster with a shotgun. At the moment I honestly couldn't give two shits what these morons think of the situation. Mikey couldn't suppress a giggle at the whole situation. I quirked a smile at the sound. Finally I started it out. "Alright, people, what's going on here?"

The son of the man I knocked out looked down nervously. "Well, uh...there's..."

"Spit it out!" Peters growled.

He jumped. "There's zombies outside, and you just hit my dad, and you..."

I felt like turning the gun on myself. Damn, they're right when they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! "Kid. Shut up. I'm talking about the military barricade and what you and your buddies here are doing about it and the braindeads out there."

A young latino woman, whom I recognized as one of the gun-weilding people who helped us inside nodded towards the window. "Well, they won't let us out of the city. They stated that no one is allowed to leave 'ground zero.' But as you could tell, the undead are gathering here in greater numbers, maybe attracted to so many people." She shook her head. "Every time we try to approach the guards, they ignore us at first, then shoot at us if we get too close. I'm not sure how much longer our doors can hold the zombies back. Soon there will be too many of them, we will be trapped in her to be slaughtered."

Her words obviously did nothing to soothe the people around her. My mind carefully picked through her information. Simon shook his head. "But there must be something. Perhaps we can reason with them..."

"We already tried that!" A voice called out from the crowd. "That's how I got shot in the arm!"

The crowd was getting larger, all shouting out things they have tried and what had happened to them. People were going across the walkways to this apartment to get involved. I tried to look them over but my mind got confused. "Wait!" I held up my hand and almost immediately the place was silent. I stared at them for a second, a bit disconcerted at having so many people staring right back at me. Shaking the feeling off, I spoke. "How many people are here?" At once the talk roared up again, and I couldn't hear a single thing. My jaw clenched in frustration. "Shut up!" I shouted. Once again, silence. Damn these people are pissing me off! "You!" I jabbed a finger at the teenager. He paled as I approached him. "You, get a count of how many people are here, and how many workable vehicles with solid tops are available."

"Um, solid tops? W-what-"

"Anything other than a f#king convertable or jeep, now get your ass in gear!" He jumped as though I'd shocked him and dissappeared into the crowd.

The latino woman eyed me. "What are you thinking, green man?"

"First of all, I'm not 'green man.' I'm a turtle and my name is Raph. Secondly, I'm seeing how we can get the hell out of here." She snorted but smiled slightly.

A middle aged man looked around the room. "I don't see why we should move at all. We were safe here before you arrived. We'll be safe here after you leave. As long as we don't bother the guards, they don't shoot at us, I think we'll be all right here."

A murmur of agreement went through the crowd.

Looking at the man, I resisted the urge to throttle him. Instead I stepped towards him. Intimidated, he nervously stepped back. I continued to march toward him, even as we began to cleave through the crowd. "First of all, Einstein, no one's making you go anywhere. You can stay here and count your toes all day for all I care. I know I don't want to freaking stay here. How much food you you have left?" He hesitated. "I can't imagine where you go shit. Do you just do it in buckets and toss it out the window? How much water do you have left? I know the taps aren't running. And think about it genius. 'Ground Zero?' Can anyone tell me what that could mean?" I asked sarcastically, spreading my arms in the middle of the crowd. Silence. "Anyone?" I repeated.

Simon's amazon sister, Veronica, stepped from behind her brother. "It means the original point of contact."

I nodded. "Exactly. Which means that the military would want to contain it, right?" People nodded hesitantly. "And what's the best way to contain a disease?"

She looked grim. "Destroy it."

This was a new type of silence. It was a dead silence. The kind that lets people absorb information. I was surprised they didn't think of it sooner, after all my dealings with Bishop and his cronies it was one of the first things that popped into my mind. Then again maybe it was on their minds but no one had thought to voice it out loud. But now it was spoken and couldn't be ignored.

Mikey's hand was on my shoulder. "Do you really think they'd do that?" he whispered.

I looked at my brother. "Why else would they be guarding it like that? They obviously aren't worried about hurting anyone, and I can think of only one reason for that." He nodded grimly.

The silence was broken as the teenager broke through the crowd, slightly out of breath. More people flowed in from behind him. "Uh...um...there's like about 56 people." I interrupted him with a curse. That's too many damn people! "Uh," he continued. "There's a bunch of cars and stuff that work. The biggest ones are two church vans and Mr. Sanchez's old school bus, it still works good."

"Where's Sanchez?"

He went pale. "Um...out there. He's dead but moving, like the rest of them."

"Did you get the keys?"

"No..."

A vein ticked on my forehead. "Well get the damn keys! Why the hell wouldn't we need the damn keys to the thing!" Terrified, he jumped up and bolted through the crowd. They parted for him like water. My eyes followed him. "Damn!" I spat. I really hope the rest of these people aren't of his caliber.

The latino woman cleared her throat. When I looked at her, she stuck out her hand. "I'm Mariana, and would be happy to join you. Now I would like to hear how you would get us out. We have nowhere near the firepower that they have."

Mikey grinned, shouldering his way beside her. "You see, that's where you're wrong! You see that beaut' out there?" He pointed out the window at the Battle Shell. "That is loaded to the teeth! It's got missiles and guns and stuff."

"Well, that's very well and fine for you, but what about the rest of us? They have snipers on the rooftops of the two large buildings of the barricade. They're in places that'd be hard for a regular gun to hit. Plus the buildings are already torn apart from the military fighting here earlier, a missile might bring them down which would be dangerous for all of us."

I stared at her. How could she know so much? She was right. There was no question that she was right. I asked her to show them to me and leading me to a dirty window she pointed them out. She wasn't sure where the snipers were exactly, just that they were in the buildings. I looked at the layout, my mind racing. The only place that would be safe to use the missiles would be the barricade itself, it was made mostly of crashed vehicles piled on top of each other, though the people better get through the hole pretty quickly just to be safe. But those snipers were the real issue. They could easily pick people off through the cars as they tried to cross, picking off innocent lives.

I closed my eyes. I really didn't want to deal with this. All I wanted to do when I woke up today was see who the dead guy walking around at Leatherhead's was and here I was separated from most my family and stuck with a pack of morons. Just a simple life for a mutant ninja turtle. Bust a few heads, eat some pizza, ride my motorcycle, sleep in every morning...was that really too much to ask?

Mikey touched my shoulder. Whipping around my head I glared at him. He grinned, completely unphazed. "Uh, where are we gonna go?" He looked at me with a questioning glance. He reminded me of a curious puppy.

Creepy.

"Uh, Casey's farmhouse." He cocked his head. I sighed. "C'mon Mikey, think about it. It's in the middle of the woods, the nearest neighbor is five miles away and that's just an old man with some dogs. Remember, they chased you up a tree that one time?" He grinned and nodded. The thought only popped in my head as I said it, but it really was a good idea. I didn't really give a crap what the people did with themselves after we got out, I just wanted to get the hell out of here and to more familiar surroundings. Somewhere familiar, somewhere that perhaps my brothers would be drawn to as well. I leaned my head against the windowpane. Then I noticed Mariana staring at me with her huge brown eyes. I scrunched my face. "What'r you lookin at?"

She cocked her head and smiled. "Oh, nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Sometimes I hate chicks.

* * *

Everything was gathered up. Everyone had all the belongings that they wished to take with them in backpacks. Some of the larger men also carried all their food, which wasn't much, and some gallon jugs of water. We decided we were going to take the schoolbus, the two vans, and a minivan and a pickup that some owners preferred to drive. With the five vehicles plus the Battleshell, we had more than enough room to transport everyone and the stuff they carried.

Whatever.

There were a few people who opted to stay back. Mikey had already tried to convince them to come with us, but all he got was curses and poorly thrown objects. Man, how do these people live like that? Ungrateful b#stards. At another time, another place, another situation I honestly might have cared more but at the moment I didn't. They could stay here and count zombies all freakin day long for all I care right now.

Dusk was setting and already long shadows stretched the pavement. The zombies still roamed the surface aimlessly, moaning thier hunger as their flesh rotted from their bodies. Every once in a while one would get too close to the barricade and the crack of rifle fire echoed through the air as a soldier expertly dispatched it. I took one last look out the window and clenched my jaw. "Simon?" He stepped next to me without a word, his massive frame towering a couple feet above me. With a flick of the wrist I threw the keys to him. He caught them in his immense hand.

Staring at the keys to the battleshell he said "Are you sure you want to do this, Raphael? It's dangerous. You could get killed."

I snorted. "Are you kidding? Staying here would be a death sentence. I'd off myself after spending a day with you people." He shook his head, smiling. I couldn't help but play a little grin of my own.

"Still, you know you don't have to do this."

Still not meeting his eye a laughed. "Yeah. Sure. I'd like to see someone else take out military guards, break into a rickety building and off two trained snipers. I doubt you'd be able to find your ass to wipe in this darkness." I sighed, fingering the butts of my sai in anticipation. "So, you think you can find the missile launcher OK?"

He nodded. "Yes, I remember seeing something like your description when I was riding with you. Don't worry about me. Just concentrate on getting out alive. I will be praying for you as I wait for the sign. Walk with God."

Feeling a little bit uncomfortable yet slightly at ease at the reverend's words I stepped over to Mikey who was chatting excitedly to several teenage girls. They let out a high pitched, grating giggle at something he said, covering their mouths with their hands. Putting a hand on his shoulder, I interrupted his conversation. "Time to go, bozo."

Flashing a grin at me he turned to the young ladies. "My fair maidens! I bid you a fair adeu! By the time you reach the other side, your hero will await your most exhuberant welcome!" They erupted into a fresh chorus of female giggles that pretty much pierced my ears. Forcefully I yanked him away from the group. He yelped but followed me.

"My fair maidens? Exhuberant welcome? Where the f#king hell did that come from!" I growled, dragging him behind me as I walked towards the window.

Wriggling out of my grasp, he chuckled. "Movies, man! You've seen'em, right? Look!" he said, pointing. For some unfathomable reason, I looked. Tied to his belt were three small, brightly colored sashes. I could smell their perfume from here. "Tokens!" He exclaimed happily.

I need to get out of here or a head will roll.

Pushing open the dirty window, I crawled out onto the windowsill. Everyone watched silently. It felt unnerving. Eager to be away from their staring eyes I eyed the fire escape. It looked precarious but would have to do. Stepping on it lightly I could feel it tremble under my weight and silently signaled Mikey to wait. I wasn't sure if this would support the both of us. Moving on cat's feet I quickly slipped down to the last part. Below, less than four feet from my toes the zombies were shambling about, moaning aimlessly. I wrinkled my nose at their fruity, putrid stench of decomposing flesh. And here I thought Mikey's 'tokens' stank!

Scanning the area I took in the scene from this new vantage point. I had hoped to get to the opposite building to take out 'my' sniper without being seen but could see that it was nearly impossible. Though the barricade could be made in a good, practiced leap, nothing else was anywhere near enough to grab onto. And it was either grab ahold of the barricade and alert the soldiers and snipers, or jump into the mass of walking undead and see if I came out unscathed. I didn't want to take my chances with the latter.

Feeling the metal vibrate slightly, I looked up to see Mikey stepping onto the escape and calculate the jump to the nearest building that held the nearest sniper. The leap had to be made from several stories, but it was me who would have to dispatch the two soldiers and then hurtle towards a sniper with warning of your approach.

The familiar feeling of excitement-laced adrenaline surged into my veins and immersed into my muscles. Time for action.

Like a tightly coiled spring, I leapt into the air. Immediately the zombies looked up at the movement and screamed their hunger for me, reaching into the air with decayed fingers. I landed on the barricade safely and was moving the instant my feet touched the metal.

Shuriken in my hand, I flipped it out as the nearest soldier turned towards me, rifle ready. The sharp pronged steel imbedded itself into his neck. Corotid artery severed, deep red arterial blood spurted into the air in high archs as I darted past him. The second soldier was more prepared. Rifle level, he fired.

I saw his movement and anticipated.

Springing into the air, I landed in a somersault. I could feel a bullet whizz past me. Another powerful flip and I had gained on him by seven feet. He fired three more times, but I was all over the place. He couldn't get good aim. Landing flat on my palms I windmilled my legs wildly, striking him in the face with two hard heels in quick succession. He stumbled forward and I caught him mid-fall. Quick twist of the head, neck vertebrae cracked, he fell to the ground.

The next instant I was off. Like I thought, the sniper saw the whole thing. An armor piercing bulled blasted into the ground where I just stood. I was moving like a thing possesed. A leap there, step here, somersault there, step back a few steps here, side step left, right, left, left, left, right. My feet and hands were never touching the surface for more than a blink of an eye. I did everything possible to make myself a poor target.

Bullets reigned down around me angrily, sending spittle of debris into the air. Finally I reached the building and hugged it, frantically searching for a door.

Of course there was none.

Turtle luck working true to f#king form.

But my Shuko spikes were ready. With the small metal hooks digging into the brick, I scaled the wall at a pace I had never before matched. Impressive, considering the brick I scaled was in such bad shape that I could feel it move beneath my palms. I needed to get to this guy before he got to me, or someone else.

My fingertips touched the windowsill and I knew that he'd be waiting. I'd have to come in fighting. Folding my legs into a crouching position, I braced the pads of my feet on the crumbling brick and pushed off with all my might as I firmly grasped the windowsill.

Performing a flip that even Master Splinter would be proud of, I arrived through the opening feet first, leg extended, ready to kick. Unfortunately, he was ready to. His sniper's rifle fired and a bulled tore through the flesh on my upper arm like it was tissue paper. He almost killed me.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't.

My heel collided solidly between his eyes. I could feel bone crunch beneath my skin as the fragile part of his skull gave way from the pressure. He fell backwards with an odd, strangled cry; clutching his face as he writhed on the ground. Picking up his rifle, I tossed it aside. He fumbled for his handgun, but couldn't see where I was. He couldn't see a thing, couldn't even stand up. We could hear the door of the now unprotected building floor shatter and animalistic, hungry shrieks fill the air. The man froze for a second, his life's blood still pouring from his face. Then, without me moving a muscle shoved the end in his mouth and fired.

My stomach rolled at the sight of the splattered brain matter, but now was no time to be sick.

Shoving my finger in my mouth, I let out a high-pitched whistle which was joined by Mikey on the other side. Shuko spikes still wrapped snugly around my hand, I leapt out the window as the bone-chilling cries of the zombies intensified as they neared the floor.

Explosions rocked the surface, filling the air with bright, rolling flame. I could feel the head as the explosions intensified as the fire reached the gas tanks of the cars making up the makeshift fort. Screeching tires pierced the atmosphere as all six vehicles tore out of the cul-de-sac, all following the Battleshell, right into the rolling wall of flame.

If I didn't reach them soon, I stood the risk of being left behind.Taking advantage of the rotten brick, I scaled down it, half sliding have crawling. My entire descent was something of a controlled fall. I landed hard enough to nearly knock me off my feet, the barricade beneath my feet as the fire traveled down the wall of vehicles, igniting gas tank after gas tank to where I stood. It was like a scene from some f#king action movie! At the moment ignoring the ever-present roar of hungry undead I made a mad leap off the structure, praying Mikey made it out all right.

As soon as I hit the ground a zombie lunged at me. Gritting my teeth I shoved the tip of my sai up it's nose, roughly twisting it down. The steel broke through the roof of his mouth with tiny bits of diseased brain matter still clinging to the metal. Two more, and the Battleshell was in sight. Sprinting towards it, the door opened to welcome me. I leapt in and shoved the door closed on the fingers of an over-eager zombie, amputating the tips.

Before I could open my mouth to ask about my brother he popped up from behind me. "What took you so long, bro?"

Sometimes I could throttle him with no guilt whatsoever.

Simon smiled at me. "It is good to see you in one piece, my friend. What happened to your arm?"

For the first time I noticed the ragged wound on my arm. My realization brought the first sensation of pain in a crashing wave. Immediately I clutched it, gritting my teeth against a moan. Several pairs of hands pulled me from the seat and into the back. First aid kit ready, Mikey went to work.

"Did everyone make it out alright?" I snarled through clenched teeth.

Mikey chuckled as he performed brutal torture on my arm. "Yeah, they're alright. They do have a question, though."

"F#k, what else do the damn humans want?"

"They want to know what you want to do now."

I blinked and looked at my brother for a second, not believing. They wanted me to tell them what to do? "They're asking me?" I uttered.

Mariana, sitting across from me, smiled. "Yes, Raphael. They are asking you."

"Aw shit..."

* * *

A/N: Hope that chapter wasn't too long, especially since all that happened was that they escaped NY. Hope I didn't lose too many readers during my long absence. Please write reviews and let me know what you think, any predictions, satements, whatever! The next chapters will come in quicker succession garunteed!

Toodles!


	13. The Straw that Broke my Back

Disclaimer: I dont' own the TMNT

A/N: WARNING: this chapter deals with child abuse, you are forewarned if you are sensitive to the subject.

I was nervous to post this chapter, special thanks to Damgel for giving me a little backbone. Keep in mind what happened to Leo in the last chapter with him and this one will be understood more. It does get...disturbing and bloody in this chapter. Once again, you are forewarned!

Chapter 12

The Straw that Broke My Back

I don't know how long I stayed in the Lair. Ever since I arrived with Splinter, it had seemed like an eternity. Now he was gone.

I sat there with his limp body cradled in my arms, rocking slowly, bloodshot eyes staring off into nothing. It was a dream. It had to be. Nothing like this could happen, it was impossible. Then I realized that the body in my arms was beginning to get cold and I panicked. I got up but my legs nearly buckled, my leg muscles painfully spasming in protest for holding that position for so long, but I didn't care. I was numb to all feeling. Stumbling slightly, carrying him as if he were an infant, I ran to his room and quickly put him into bed, covering him up, tucking him in like he did to us so many times before. His head lay on the pillow so peaceful, the blanket conveniently covering everything else. I'd get him some hot tea, that'll warm him up. We can't have him getting sick.

Walking blindly, yet with my eyes open, I was in a daze as I walked to get the tea. It was only because of the long practiced movements that I was able to complete the task at all. Two shattered teacups later, I nudged aside the door with the steaming cup. The first thing my eyes landed on was the hand hanging in the handcuff, dangling from the bedpost like a sick part to an infant's mobile.

Reality rushed on me like a bomb. A wash of icy cold washed over me and I started shaking. The teacup fell from my fingers and shattered at my feet, spraying my legs with steaming tea, but I didn't feel it. For the second time I fell to my knees and wept. The tears did not come gently, oozing out of my eyes like a caress. Instead they were violent sobs, ones that wracked my chest with heaves, that gushed hot rivulets of tears pouring down my cheeks. It almost seemed like it was scalding my skin. I clutched my face with trembling fingers. The tips pressed against my temple, and I felt the sudden urge to dig those fingertips into my eyes.

You killed him, Leo. You killed Master Splinter! You stabbed him with the very weapon that he made for you, trained you in. Your father is dead because of you. Your father, your only parent. The one being who would sacrifice everything for you and he did. The only one who loved you almost as much as you loved him. And here you are tucking him into bed and bringing him tea as if nothing happened. You're going crazy, Leo! That's just what you need to add to your list of misdeads, is to go coo-coo! The second you let him get bit by that evil vermin, you just stabbed him in the heart then. You started his death clock. If you would've defeated Leatherhead, then he never would have had to come, Mikey and Raph would be here, and together you could search for Don. In fact, why didn't you hear Don go out? You hear Raph, why not Don? If you would've stopped him, the entire family would've still been together! We would've gotten through it! It's your job to do that, and you failed at that too! It's only you now, the rest could be dead for all you know, fearless leader!

I laid there on the floor, sobbing my grief, beating myself both physically and mentally. Both hurt, but I didn't care. I deserved every blow.

But what about Master Splinter? you can't just leave him there, he deserves a proper burial. Immediately I thought of a funeral pyre, but had to push it from my head. The undead. The relentless walking zombies that I had so conveniently forgot about would be attracted to both me and Master Splinter. I don't care if they manage to take me down, but if they do then what will they do with Sensei? They will eat him as though he were so much carrion. Even if I managed to set the pyre ablaze if I had time, they would still jump into the flames and his ashes would be mixed with thiers. The very thought filled me with revulsion.

Burial? The nearest patch of soil deep enough was several miles from here. For some reason I didn't think that the zombies would let me take the time to dig a deep pit. Would they dig him up afterwards? Just like a dog digs up a buried bone? I couldn't take that possiblilty.

Water. I turned to look at the small bridge extending over our pool that led to the river. I searched my mind but could think of no drawbacks. It would have to be a water burial.

I worked fervently, struggling to keep my mind off what I had just done and what I was getting ready to do. It all seemed so surreal, as though Splinter would rise from that bed at any moment and remind me that his stories were about to come on and not to change the channel. Then he would make himself some tea and rice cakes, he always offered me some, and a seat next to him. Why didn't I join him more often? Why didn't I cherish every moment as I should have? Why wasn't I just a better son?

When I approached his bedside once again for the last, fateful step, my eyes clouded with even more tears. I don't think that I've stopped crying for hours, my cheeks were puckering with the continued moisture. Not wanting to look at the mutilated body of my father again, I simply pulled the covers over his head. Gingerly I removed the hand from the dangling cuff and slipped it under the fabric. Then, scooping him up blankets and all I swaddled him and carried him over to the sheet that I had prepared. Already lain on the sheet were all of his incense sticks, several of his japanese paintings, and several other artifacts and personal effects that he had collected over the years. I had essentially cleaned out his room. The small amount of objects seemed so small and trivial, a poor representation of what he gained in his life. If only I could find a way to package memories, kindness, thoughts, wishes, love...it would be so great the entire ocean wouldn't be enough to fill it.

The only thing I selfishly kept to myself was a vial of scented oil that he used to make the incense sticks. Whenever I opened the cap and the thick oil was exposed to open air the aroma would waft into my nose and I could close my eyes and imagine myself in his room, surrounded by this familiar scent, spending a quiet evening meditating with my father. It was calming sandalwood, with wag champa and specific flowers that created a unique odor that was simply Splinter. Always Splinter. I don't think that I could ever give it up.

Gently laying down my father's body, I finally laid his walking stick on top before starting to tightly wrap him in the shroud. At the bottom of it were several bricks, ensuring that he would sink to the bottom and lie in peace.

Placing him in that water is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Tears still streaming down my cheeks, I watched as the water darkened the crisp white sheet, chanting in monotone words that I learned from the very being I was attempting to put at rest.

Finally the form broke completely through the surface of the water, sinking slowly to the bottom. I strained my eyes from where I sat, staring at the figure until it retreated to depths that my eyes couldn't penetrate. Once again the sobbing intensified and I lay on the ground, wailing my greif to unfeeling furniture, alone in the place, with no one to seek solace. Cradling my head, I chanted those familiar words, whispering them from my lips like forbidden secrets, until finally my eyes closed and I drifted off into a fitful sleep.

When I woke up I felt as though my entire body were numb. It was much darker in the Lair, the lights were dying. The electricity must be going out with no one to man the plant or something. Once they went out my home would be enveloped in complete blackness. My fresh, stinging memories pushed themselves to the surface of my mind but I pushed them back, not wanting to deal with it. The wounds felt too fresh, to deep, too painful.

I tried to get up and was surprised when my legs buckled slightly. My muscles were protesting and for the first time I noticed my physical pain. My ribs throbbed with such an intensity I was astonished that I wasn't aware of it before. My head was also encased in a constant, dull ache. I didn't think about how I got either, for then it would remind me of Master Splinter. When I rose again, I still felt as weak as a kitten. Fumbling through my thoughts, I struggled to remember the last time I ate or drank anything. I couldn't recall. At least two days, for I ate very little during the training at the farm.

Though I wasn't the least bit hungry, I knew that I needed to eat. Both to fuel my body and help fight the injuries. Shuffling to the kitchen I tried several things. I choked on the biscuit, though I managed to get some down. Smelling the cereal just made me sick to the stomach. Everything else seemed to require some sort of preparation which currently I wasn't sure that I could do. Not because I physically was unable but I just...couldn't.

Finally I opened the fridge, nearly wept anew when I saw the leftover rice cakes, truly got sick to the stomach when I saw our other green leftovers, and finally settled on something. April had brought down some Ensure to Splinter during the winter. He thanked her and drank one, but wasn't too interested. They still sat there, unused. Knowing they have a long shelf life, I grabbed two and chugged them down, not tasting it at all. My stomach growled loudly as I drank, scolding me for withholding it for so long. When I brought my head down, fate would have it that the first thing my eyes fell on was the large bloodstain left on the floor when I killed Sensei.

Gagging, I almost lost my liquid lunch.

Suddenly, without thought my mind came to a decision. I had to go. Holding the rest of the bottles, I carried them to my room and stuffed them into my bag. I also added in a few books, sentimental items, and some of my smaller weapons. I moved swiftly, suddenly eager to leave this place that had been our home for so long. Everything I looked at reminded me of Splinter, and I wasn't sure if I could survive the constant reminding. Also, my family was out there somewhere. I had to assume that they were alive. I had nothing else to go for, the least I could go for was hope.

By the time that I had thrown everything together, the lights were flickering. Knowing the Lair even in the semi-darkness, I made my way to the elevator and waited for it to come down. The fact that I had to wait gave me hope. Last time I was here it was already at this level, maybe one of my brothers had come to the Lair and escaped. But why leave? The question would have to wait until I saw them again.

Both katana ready, I gave the doors space as they opened, ready for any undead surprise. When it came down empty, I was surprised to feel disappointment. I suppose that I was looking forward to slicing these things after what happened to Sensei. Muscles still keyed up, I stepped inside to go topside.

Even though, for the size of the device, the elevator was pretty silent; I knew better than to expect there to be a welcome party when I arrived on top. Unlike last time, someone greeted me. The door opened to reveal a host of zombies, thier faces barely visible in the rapidly fading sunlight. In fact, the sunset had the effect of distorting their features, emphasizing the hollows of their cheeks, the grotesque nature of their wounds. The thought that one of those things had the audacity to touch my Master Splinter broiled into me an unexpected rage.

It seemed as though they were waiting for me to step in and cleave them in half. Follow those wishes I did. Finally letting loose the keyed up emotional energy, turmoil and frustration, I took it out on the undead that littered our warehouse. Not hesitating, I slashed with my sword before the doors had even opened all the way. The sharply honed steel blade cleaved through four necks, sending four heads rolling. My first goal was to get out of the confines of the elevator. Blades flashing in the light, I slashed my way through, careful to avoid blood yet surprised at the lack of it. I didn't care about killing blows anymore. I hacked away at any flesh that got in my way. Zombies fell to the floor missing limbs, chunks of flesh and tripping over their own intestines as they dropped from slashed abdomens. I had never precipitated such carnage and was surprised at every fresh swing that I made.

But it couldn't last forever, even I knew that. When I literally felt the teeth of one of them brush my elbow pad, I decided that enough was enough and I needed to get out of there. Quickly finding a hollow metal stairwell that led to the upper windows of the warehouse, I scaled them. The undead were coming in greater numbers, excited and drawn by the carnage like sharks. From the time that I had stepped out of the elevator to me standing on the upper stairwell their numbers doubled. Mercilessly crushing those fallen among them into the unforgiving pavement, they rushed at me with gaping mouths.

Quickly undoing the latch I heaved open the heavy windowpane, which hinged at the top. Like any old structure, it stuck where I put it. Slithering out of it, somehow managing to get my bag through as well, I braced the balls of my feet on the sill and reached for the edge of the rooftop which was only a few feet from the top of the window. I could feel cold fingers brush my toes as I gripped the cold metal roof and hoisted myself out of their reach. Traveling carefully over the angled slick, metal rooftop took some carefully placed steps; all I could see for a moment was my next good grip until I made it to the peak of the structure. Getting a good stance, I took off at a run. With precision that came from years of practice, I took my last step on the very edge of the rooftop before I leapt for all I was worth; the nearest building with a sturdy roof was a greater than normal distance away. I landed on the more familiar concrete surface in a precarious position, but quickly recovered.

Then I was off. Hitting an all too familiar stride, I leapt from rooftop to rooftop amidst the densly packed buildings. For a moment I almost imagined that I was at a time before this, and would expect to see my family home when I returned. The only thing to bring me out of my reverie was the incessant moaning of hungry zombies below me. I ran on nonetheless, pushing my tired, wasted muscles, ignoring the loud complaining that my ribs were giving me at the effort. I just needed to run. A good cleansing run.

A small clearing momentarily caught my interest. Slowing, I squatted down behind some cover and looked at it curiously.

There was what looked like a wall, built of piled up cars, the rubble of a small building and other large peices of debris. It spread across a wide interstate that lead directly out of the city. Why would they block that? Looking at the structure, the jagged edges of piled heap gave it a dark look. It's purpose seemed ominous and forboding. This thought was confirmed when I heard a man screaming. Turning my head I saw him sprint down the street, three zombies on his tail, yet he looked unscathed. He made a beeline for the blockade, screaming for help. The crack of rifle fire echoed through the air and the man's face exploded into a mass of tissue and bone. Falling lifeless to the ground, the undead began to feast.

A feeling of horror swept over me as I watched several soldiers standing in a protected place on the blockade, one of them smoking a cigarette. They were trapping the people inside! I was already emotionally raw, but this was too much. It was brutality. Genocide. They were feeding healthy citizens to the walking undead! Clenching my teeth I stood up, resolved to do...something!

The air echoed with a gunshot yet again, and I felt a firey heat on my cheek. I dropped to the ground by instinct as another bullet whizzed above me, barely missing me. Slowly I touched my hand to my cheek and felt warm blood ooze between my fingertips. Gently I probed and was relieved to discover that it only grazed a deep furrow into the flesh, missing bone and failing to penetrate through. Still, it hurt more than all my other injuries. But I knew why I got it, I was careless. I let my emotions of the moment get the best of me. Making a decision I slowly crept away, sticking to the shadows like glue. I scanned the area. Surely there was some way to approach unnoticed.

Then I stopped. Approach unnoticed? Why? It would be so easy, approach the blockade, have one of those bullets take all the pain away in one fateful blast...My muscles quivered. It was almost too tempting. My eyes darting about like something gone mad. I chuckled to myself. Yes, I could easily join Master Splinter this very night. My brothers are probably waiting for me too, doesn't look like anyone can get out of this place alive. It would be so easy, so easy to just end it...

A child's scream interrupted my thoughts like a whip. Spinning around to the direction of the cry, I listened again, ears straining. There it was again, a pitiful child's scream, a very young child. It wasn't an all out cry of pain, but one of fear. It seemed to echo off the buildings around me and into my eardrums. For one precarious second I stood undecided. I needed to get out and find my brothers, but if that child needs help...

Gnashing my teeth I sprinted in the opposite direction of the blockade, praying that the child would let out another cry. I had already covered a considerable distance when my prayers were answered with a gunshot and a man crying out in pain. It was swiftly followed by the desperate moans of the undead. Then the man screamed again, this time in true pain and the sounds of the zombies were more intense. My stomach recoiled when I peiced together what had happened.

"Dada! DADA!" A little girl wailed, her agonizing cries acting as a beacon to my ears.

Panting from the miles I just covered in so short a time, I slowed as I sensed myself nearing the source. The girl cried heaving sobs, a grunting man telling her to be quiet in rude language, quickly followed by a chuckle. A door slammed and suddenly I heard more. More children.

When I came upon the building it was immediately obvious. It was a four story building with a garden on the roof. Strung across the fourth story windows were Christmas lights that crudely spelled 'alive inside safe' that contrasted sharply with the dark night, completely devoid of all other light. Zombies teemed around the building, particularly in one area. With a cold feeling in my stomach I could guess why.

Leaping deftly onto the rooftop, I cautiously approached the door. There was no need. Not only was it unlocked, but the stairwell was completely empty. Still holding my katana at ready, I slowly crept down the steps, mindful of any creaks. Once again, there was no need. When I stepped through the threshold, the moans and cries of young children were immediately apparent, all of them sounding frightened and scared. My stomach flipped over and over again as I continued down the steps. I was getting a bad feeling about what I would find down there.

The stairwell ended in a door leading to the fourth floor, or further down to the other floors. There was a lock on it, but once again it was unlocked. On the surface it stated 'James Smith' and 'Isaac Smith' in block letters right below the large number '4.' Slowly turning the knob I stepped into the threshold. No one was there. Obviously the Smiths weren'tt worried about unwanted visitors.

The familiar sqealing and sobbing of the young girl immediately pierced my ears, the cries of the rest of the children coming from the third floor. My stomach continued its churning.

When I heard rhythmic grunts and moans, coupled with the girl sobbing with renewed intensity my heart practically stopped. Instead it thudded against my chest wall so hard that I felt my ribcage would crack. All pretense of stealth flew out the window as I ran down the hall, frantically looking in rooms, not wanting to see what I knew I was going to see. Breathing coming in strange pants, I stopped dead cold as I stared in disbelief at the fourth door I looked in.

On the floor was a small girl no more than six, long brown hair fanned out on the carpet. She was sobbing so hard she was hiccupping, clawing frantically at a man who was on her, no...in her! He was...he was... The man was oblivious to my presence, living in what he was doing to this innocent child.

All sorts of painfully raw emotions boiled to the surface in an instant, fueling me with a sick kind of adrenaline made from a mixture of sorrow and hate. Something strange flashed in my vision and I ran forward without thinking. Gripping my katana, I reached out my other hand and grabbed hold of his greasy locks and yanked so hard that I felt some rip right out of his scalp. At the same time the tip of my katana sheathed itself inside one of his orifices.

He didn't react immediately, other than to pull off the girl, but the stunned silence didn't last for long. He screamed a blood-curdling scream as he reached for my hand gripping his bloodied hair and my katana. The little girl, terrified, looked up at me with wide puffy eyes. She shouldn't see this, she's been through enough. "Get out of here!" I yelled, eyes blazing at the man I held in my grasp. She gasped at me, this strange talking turtle rescuing her, and scrambled from under the man, pushing her skirt over her bloodied legs. "GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" I yelled with all the authority I could muster at the moment. With a weak cry, she ran from the room.

The man I held in my hand was still screaming, tears streaming down his grubby cheeks as he knelt in front of me with his pants down. I looked at this slimeball and imagined the little girl, then the cries of the other children went through my mind and such a hatred swept through me so unexpectedly that I reacted without thought, purely on emotion. Somehow tightening my grip on my katana, I inserted it's full length into his body in an upward stab. The tip pierced his abdomen, sending riverlets of blood down his stomach. With a downward slice I finished the job, stopping when the steel hit his pelvic bone. The blade tip sliced neatly down his belly, the rest of the katana sluicing the insides at the same time. Intestines and other things spilled out of the wound as it now bled in deadly earnest, immedietly soaking the floor. I jerked it out and planted my foot on his back, pushing him to the ground. He didn't die immediately, instead he writhed and screamed on the floor, his eyes bugging out as he clutched at his organs as though he could simply stuff them back in and be hunky-dory. I watched him die with a look of venemous hatred, hormones and adrenaline pumping thick through my veins. I didn't know this man, but I knew what he did. Yet still I was surprised when I felt no sympathy or guilt whatsoever. Somehow, in my minds eye, I saw him as one of the perpetrators of evil, one of those that created the beings that killed my father.

I must've watched him for several seconds as his screams lessened into moans, and finally he just gaped silently at me like a fish before taking his last breath. It was only then that I realized my mistake. There were two Smiths!

Instinctively I ducked at the insight, just as a pistol exploded; its slug plastering the wall that I just stood against. I whipped my head around to see a man flee down the hall. My own blood still pumping I darted after him, heedless of my own safety. When I lunged into the hallway I had to modify it into a roll to avoid another gunshot as he dissapeared onto the stairwell, but still I chased after him. I opened the door just as he closed another. Not even bothering to use the stairs, I leapt from the fourth story, hand gripping the railling, and landed on the third. Seeing a slight quiver on that door I ran for it, though this time with more caution. He could have possibly 10 rounds left, more likely 9 since he killed the little girl's father. All he needed was one to kill me.

Hugging the wall beside the door, I used the tip of my katana to push the loose handle down and ease the door open. Immedately three bullets flew through the door in quick succession. The thudding of feet told me he ran again. Six.

Slipping through the door I crouched in the corner, doing a quick scan of the area. A sight stopped me short. In a room were three more children, a girl and two boys ranging from two to ten. The two younger children were tied and gagged in the corner, bound so tightly that I was surprised they could move at all. They looked at me with terrified, sobbing faces, wriggling helplessly. The boy who looked ten was tied against a benchpress in a way that told me I had come just in time for him.

The click of a gun made me instinctively roll across the carpet just as another slug punded into the wall. Deftly I fingered a shuriken as I leapt on the balls of my feet, purposely throwing myself against the other wall as he shot at me. With a quick flip of my fingers the steel star went flying. The man cried out and the gun clattered to the floor and the ninja star sunk into his arm. I didn't want to kill him, not like that anyway. I was on him in an instant. I roundhouse kicked him in the cheek so hard he hit the wall. He was taller and lankier than his brother, but still had the same greasy, sick look. Taking my katana to his throat I grasped him from behind and literally dragged him to the room with the three children, picking up the gun on the way. "Look at this, you sick pervert! What have you done to these children? They have done nothing to you!" Not wanting the children to hear anything this sick b#stard had to say, I dragged him into the stairwell and smacked his skull against the railing just for the heck of it. "Where are their parents asshole?" I growled venemously.

"Outside!" He blubbered, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was crying for his life, I realized. For some reason that made me more incensed. He had nothing to cry for, he was going to hell where he belonged.

"Did you kill them?"

He hesitated so I smacked his skull against the railing again. He screamed. "YES! Yes I killed them, I killed all of them! The zombies ate them!" he screamed.

"Why?" Though I knew the answer.

With wide, terrified eyes he looked at me. "F-f-for the kids. F-for Isaac and me!"

"You sick, nasty pervert!" I yelled in his ear, dragging him bodily up the stairs. "My father told me that people like you exist, but I haven't seen it until now!"

"You don't understand! Please! Don't do this!"

"What the hell don't I understand? Seems pretty plain to me you sicko!" I growled. I reached the fourth floor, but I didn't stop there.

"We're just different, that's all! Homos are different too, why are we so bad?! You killed my brother! Doesn't that make you worse!? Murder is worse!"

I couldn't even muster up the words to speak, my emotions ran too strong within me to attempt it. I just couldn't believe this man, even after this, he still had the audacity...I glared at him in a way that made him pale visibly, instantly realizing his mistake. "Hey, man, I didn't mean it! Really!" He licked his lips and stared at me. "Do you want one of them? We can share...we-"

I tightened my grip on him so forcefully that he squealed. I didn't want to hear anymore. Somehow I was seeing Sensei walk beside me as we ascended the stairs.

Reaching the roof I shoved him so hard that he stumbled and sprawled on the concrete. I kicked him in his side. "Get up!" He scrambled to his feet and immediately I prodded him with the katana still red from his brother's blood. He reached the edge of the roof. I pulled out the gun. "Do you want me to shoot you, James Smith?" I said with and eerie calmness in my voice that contrasted wildly with the moans of the zombies and with the raging emotions that were ready to burst inside of me.

His eyes went wide and he shook his head violently. "No! No please don't shoot me! Please! I'll do anything!" He trembled where he stood, staring at me with shaking knees.

I shrugged. "Your choice." With that I kicked him and he fell straight into the teeming mass of zombies.

* * *

A/N: Believe it or not I've been planning that scene since I first thought up of this idea. I don't know why. I hope that I didn't make Leo go too OOC. My goal was to make him seem so emotionally raw and unstable that he'd be more capable of things like this when provoked. Well, anywho give me your thoughts, Anyone who knows me knows that I love ramblers, give me any predictions or wishes in your reviews. Sometimes they give me more insight than you think!

Toodles!

Want to race through your inbox even faster? Try the full version of Windows Live Hotmail. (It's free, too.)

© 2008 Microsoft Privacy Legal Help Central Account Feedback 


	14. Someone Else

Disclaimer: I dont' own the TMNT

A/N: Don's always been my hardest to write, but getting April's reaction down the way I wanted it took a lot of thought but I finally hammered something out. Thanks to Damgel for shooting out ideas and being a geat ideabounceroffer! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 14

Someone Else

Slowly I opened my eyes and glanced at the ceiling in puzzlement. Rather than the inset stones of my room, I saw metal beams and rows of unlit flourescent lighting. I blinked and in that blink everything came rushing back to me. How could I have forgotten! The zombies, my family, Casey, escaping NYC, April...

Cautiously I turned my head to see the woman sleeping beside me on the air mattress. Her robe was open and the blankets were kicked down to her waist, revealing everything above it. As she slept there serenly, I couldn't help but think of how beautiful she was. All of last night's events played vividly in my mind like a motion picture. I practically slapped myself in the face.

How could you do something like this Donny! She's your friend! But you have loved her for years now, you're 19, that makes it almost 5 years. And she was drunk, she wanted you and you knew that you wanted her. Besides that, you resisted her at first, didn't you? But I've never been touched like that, it was like every dream that I've ever had. But you still shouldn't have done it! She might have initiated it, but you finished it. You were the responsible one! Then again, what if she was just acting on feelings about you that she had hidden? That's stupid, Don. Casey just died on her and she was torn out of her home. But how will she react when she wakes? That was the million dollar question. It was very unlikely that she'd turn and hop back into my bed again tonight. Her immediate reaction will probably be negative; anger, grief, rage, sorrow, hurt. How negative would it be?

Suddenly in my mind I could hear her plaintive cries and my own grunts in return. She didn't call out Casey's name, she called out yours. Does that matter? Gently grasping the blanket, I pulled it to her shoulders and kissed her forehead, tears threatening behind my eyes. She turned her head and mumbled, but remained in slumber. She might wake up and decide that she hates me for what I did. I might have lost her last night.

Something clicked beside me and I whipped around, blankets still gathered around my legs. My hands fumbled for my bostaff but found nothing. Good thing that when I looked up it was into the large brown eyes of Rintintin. He looked at me then he looked at April. Closing his eyes slightly he sniffed the air with his sensitive nose and thumped his tail on the floor. I looked at him grumpily, upset at being startled. "What are you looking at, boy?" I questioned. To answer he closed his eyes and thrust his pelvis into the air a few times suggestively.

My face heated in embarrassment. Scrambling out of the blankets I approached him in a half hearted attempt to scare him off. Dancing on his toes with his tongue lolling out in a way that I could swear was doggy laughter, he simply pranced out of my way. I glared at him and hissed through my teeth "Here I might've spoiled everything with her for this and you joke about it you mutt! Leave me alone!" The dog cocked his head at me curiously and then scampered off through the tile floor, nails clicking like a thousand tiny clocks. Hurriedly I gathered up my things, for some reason not wanting to be here when April woke up. Finding my bostaff some distance away from the mattress I wondered how it got there and felt my face grow hot when I realized why. I looked at the military rifle for a moment, debating on whether or not to bring it with me, then decided that I might as well get into the habit of taking it. Picking it up it's weight still felt uncomfortable as well as the boxes of ammunition in my bag. I shook it off. I needed time to think on my own. Yeah, that's what I need to do. I need time to put my thoughts together to be ready when April wakes up. On an afterthought, I removed a bottle of water and a couple of Tylenol and placed them on a box by the airmattress for April to help with the hangover that she would undoubtedly have. Once I stuffed everything in my bag I searched for breakfast. My mind was still buzzing.

Everything that happened to me last night was like something that I've never even thought could exist. The fact that I could share it with April, even if it was in those circumstances, was remarkable to me. Immediately I felt selfish for thinking in such terms. What would April think? How would this change our relationship? If her reaction turns out to be on the badside, we could even lose our friendship. A cold feeling settled into my heart as the thought thudded harshly in my mind. I might have just traded one night of a fantastic dream come true for the friendship and kind feelings of the woman that I loved. A life without April, a life where April hated me was more than I could dare to think of. It was too horrible.

Finding some pop tarts I tore open the wrapper and munched on them cold, sitting on one of the display chairs in the dining area. With one hand I stroked my chin in thought. What I needed to think of now was my options. I can't help how she will react, but I can make it easier and react accordingly to whatever it is. I can plan a reply and a game plan depending on what she does.

Immediately my mind began working furiously, thinking of each possible reaction and emotion, then trying to pick out the most reasonable, rational response that would help calm her and diffuse the situation.

Even when I'm deep in thought feeding the nerd in me, Master Splinter's training is never far from the surface. The telltale scrape of a boot on tile brought my senses on alert. Dickerson jumped when I whipped around to face him, a startled expression on his face. It immediately cleared, his eyes dancing. "Wow! Cool ninja trick greenie! Can you do another?" He patted his thigh and waved a half eaten baegel in the air, whistling as though encouraging a dog.

My jaws clenched and I turned my back on him and continued munching my pop tart, ignoring him. He sniggered and poked the side of my head. Poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke...Finally I shoved him away. "Stop it already! What are you, twelve?" I said, exasperated.

He made a face and shrugged. "Oh well, suit yourself. Just lettin' you know that we'll be leaving in less than an hour. Be ready or I'll leave your ass." He clomped away, snorting derisevly.

Somehow I found it difficult to get track of my thoughts after the interruption. The sound of dirt grinding beneath a foot gave a tightening in my shoulders. Dickerson could be such a...well...a dick sometimes! "What do you want now?" I snapped without turning around.

There was abrupt silence at my words. Then there was a slight whimper, something very un-Dickerson like. Immedietly I turned around to see April, fully dressed, tears brimming in her eyes, biting her lip with her upper teeth. She was standing in a way that spoke volumes about how she felt: confused, vulnerable and scared. My stomach gave out this odd cold sensation as it did flips in my gut. I hopped to my feet and moved towards her but stopped myself short. What if she didn't want me near her after last night? I just stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do, what would be wrong, and what would be right. My heart thudded hard against my chest as I watched the beautiful red haired woman and knew that how this would turn out depended on what she did now. Compared to all the battles and fights I've been in, I don't think that I've ever been as scared as I have right now.

She looked at me, not meeting my eyes for more than a second at a time. She shifted from one foot to the other, rubbed her arms, wrung her hands as she waited. Tears brimmed thicker in her eyes and she sniffed. The electric tension emanating from her was painfully palpable. I swallowed down my fear and apprehension, trying to appear together for her sake. Finally, with both of our knees trembling, she let out a sob and collapsed against my chest. Without thinking I wrapped my arms around her and held her close as she cried thick tears against my plastron. Thoughts rolled through my mind like boulders as I held the woman I loved. Was she crying for me? Was it what happened last night that made her cry? Was it painful, embarrassing, heart breaking? Maybe just sensory overload? I just couldn't do any more than just hold her.

"I'm so sorry Donny. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." She whispered against my plastron. I was surprised at her words as she sobbed harder. I just stroked her hair and made soothing sounds, trying to calm her. She continued her speech through hiccups and sobs. "He's gone. I know he's gone. I know that shouldn't have done that, it won't bring him back. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I know. I hope you don't hate me, I'm so sorry. Please Donny, forgive me. Please. I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I can't imagine what you think of me..." At that she choked and gave a wracking sob.

So many emotions ran their turmoil through me that I didn't know what to do. Slightly confused, but somehow elated at the same time, I crushed her to me, stroking her as I might a child. I trembled as I embraced her I was scarcely aware of where I was, other than with her. My skin tingled with the sensation of the moment and my emotions felt heated and raw. "It's alright, April. It will all be alright. I don't think any less of you, I garuntee you that. I still have you on the pedestal I put you on years ago. You're still perfect in my eyes. I'll always lo-"

I stopped myself even as I was saying it. My heartbeat quickened as I realized that I've said too much, as I realized what I just stopped myself from saying. She couldn't know that, could she? It wasn't right, she was my friend. But I wanted so much more...but she didn't. My stomached did another cold flip as I felt her stiffen slightly at my words and I forced myself to swallow hard. I might not have messed things up last night, apparently. But did I slip up just now?

She pushed away from me, her hands planted on my chest as she brought herself far enough away that she could look at my face. We stayed in a semi-embrace, my hands draped over her shoulders and her hands on my chest. Her vivid green eyes seemed unaffected in intensity despite the red puffiness of her sobbing. Face shocked and serious, brows knit together, she searched my face with those beautiful emerald eyes. I felt that she was looking into my soul and I let her; not even attempting to hide my feelings from my features. Feeling tender and extremely vulerable, I let myself open like a book. Let her read me.

"What are you trying to say, Don?" she whispered. Her eyes never left mine, her expression never changed.

I tried to swallow again, but found that my throat felt too dry to do anything with. What would I say? Open book. I'll be the book..."I've cared deeply for you, April. Ever since I met you I felt it. I didn't know if you did or not, I was too shy to ask. Besides, I'm not normal. I'm not human. To most humans I see, I'm a monster. I know I'm not but sometimes I feel..." I sighed hard and resisted closing my eyes. You're more honest with my eyes open. "The truth is, that I lov-"

A loud shatter emanated from the far corner of the store. Both of our heads whipped around to the sound. It was immedietly followed by sporrattic gunfire. My grip on April's shoulder tightening, I pulled her towards the front of the store where the LAV was parked. Dickerson yelled, but I couldn't tell what for. Gunfire sounded in the aisles again. By this time we were running, with me pulling April along behind me. Zombies screeched in the background, but we ignored them as we sprinted towards the vehicle.

We were nearly to the door when Dickerson screamed. I stopped short, my breathing coming in short pants. Another scream emanated from the back, this one sounding defensive. I analized those screams in short order, picking out the nuances. Didn't sound like screams of pain, more like fury, fighting. Then I realized that I didn't hear answering gunfire. Was he out? My heart thudded hard against my chest. Quickly thoughts pulled themselves together in my head in one sticky bundle. I needed to act. Lookin at the LAV through the large windows my mind raced. There wasn't yet a zombie in sight. I turned to April, placing a hand on each arm as I spoke to her. "April, go to the LAV, I'll join you in a little while. Okay?"

"No no no no! Don't leave me Don, please! Too many people have left me! Don't you leave me too!" She sobbed, fresh tears pouring from her eyes.

"Shhhh shhhh shhhh!" I whispered, holding her against me again. "I won't leave you, I promise. I just need to help Dickhead, uh, I mean Dickerson. I think he's in trouble. I think you better go while there's no zombies around. If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, get out of here, okay?" I pulled away from her, sprinting down the tile.

"NO! You said you won't leave me!" She said at those words.

I smiled the best I could. "If that ever happens, I'll catch up. You won't see the last of me, not now." My heart warmed even as I turned away from her and ran out of sight. No way I'd leave her now.

Zombies burst out at me from odd places, but short rounds of gunfire took care of them. With the high caliber bullets carving their heads into something that looked a lot like raw hamburger, I left the steaming masses towards where I last heard Dickerson. Hopefully he was still alive. I arrived soon enough. He was in the grocery section and had somehow gotten himself behind the sliding glass doors that they keep the cold items. The zombies pounded uselessly at the thick glass, with the irritating man screaming back at them through the glass, his voice sounding extremely muffled. His rifle lay uselessly several yards away by the breads.

I opened fire upon the mass of undead. The unfamiliar weapon vibrated and jacked in my hands as I sweeped the cluster of zombies with automatic fire. They twitched and danced the dance of the dying-again as the bullets jolted through their flesh. Blood spattered everywhere and thicker things spewed onto the floor. Limbs separated from bodies and skulls literally exploded a fan of gooey pink brain matter across the tile. I was getting the lot of them.

Dickerson pounded at the glass, shouting something, but the glass muffled him so much that I couldn't make out aword he said. It was only when the zombies behind me sprang on me that I realized what he was saying.

Easily coming upon me while I was distracted, the loud sporrattic sound of gunfire conveniently filling my ears, three zombies ran from behind me and sprang. The trigger of the rifle, shaped for a human finger, caught my extra-large mutant turtle finger as I tried to jerk it out in surprise. With the still unfamiliar weapon in my hands, I instinctively reached for my bostaff. That's when I became entangled with the rifle.

They sprang into the air and landed on my shell, knocking me to the ground. I fell on the weapon and immediately pain stabbed through a dozen places as the metal dug into my flesh. My dominant hand caught holding the weapon with my body pinned upon it I flailed at the zombies with me other hand. But they had me pinned, I knew I wouldn't get out without a bite.

It was then that separate gunfire erupted from besides me and the three zombie's heads exploded in masses of diseased flesh. As I flipped over Dickerson helped me up and together we ran for the exit, firing at the zombies that had dared enter our sanctuary even as we fled from it.

Even as we pushed through the double doors the hatch to the LAV swung open and April appeared, urging us forward. We needed no further urging. Allowing Dickerson to climb on first as I covered him with even more gunfire, I followed. Zombies rushing at us, we climbed into the hatch. April was already in the drivers seat, having figured out the mechanics she was already rumbling the thing forward. Already we were going nearly 70 mph. I smiled. She was back.

Dickerson looked at me with a big smile on his face and I did the same. Then his smile disappeared. "You've been bit." He stated simply.

I looked over myself even as my heart did little cold flips. It couldn't be true, could it? Sure enough, a neat bite pattern on the fleshy part between my shoulder and neck could be made out. My blood ran cold as the true meaning of it thrust itself into my brain.

"Sorry man." Was all he said as he raised his rifle to point between my eyes. Too shocked to speak, I looked at him with a gaped mouth even as his finger tightened on the trigger. All I could do was scramble out of the hatch, knowing that I couldn't move faster than a bullet, that now I was going to die.

"NO!" April screamed. Her face wrenched with pain, she punched Dickerson in the kidney while grabbing his shoulder roughly with her other hand. He grunted but still squeezed out the shot. A blinding pain exploded in my head as white light flashed in my vision. I was barely aware of Dickerson thrusting the butt of the rifle into April's face. Blood shot out her nostrils. It seemed like someone else as I toppled limply from the LAV, bouncing off the tires and onto the pavement.

Surely it had to be someone else who was lying on the pavement, watching his only mode of transportation and the woman he loved speed away down the street.

Surely it had to be someone else...

* * *

A/N: I had the ending of that chapter planned out for a while too. Hope none of you were disappointed by April's reaction. Leave a review and let me know what you think about it!

Toodles!


	15. Brother of a Leader

Disclaimer: I dont' own the TMNT

A/N: This actually took me a long time to write. For the longest time I had a few paragraphs written, then earlier today in a slow stint at work I exploded, which is good because I like to put forth a new chapter every two weeks at longest. Thank you for all who reviewed the last chapter, for a little bit I was wondering if a lot of people liked this story at all at this point but your words encouraged me like you'll never know! In fact, when I get ready to write a new chapter, that's one of my motivations is to read the previous reviews, that's why I LOVE long, rambling reviews!

Chapter 15

Brother of a Leader

The morning didn't start out too well. When the school bus of people woke up after driving all day they decided to do Raph a 'favor' and let him sleep. Nice thought, only the people are none too bright, even by my standards. They headed to a small pond to drink, bathe and pee; failing to assign more than one person to take watch and ended up scrambling back to the vehicles as zombies surprised them unnessesarily. They ran screaming down the hill, waking everyone else up to the sight of zombies rushing onto them. Raph, Simon and I all hopped atop our vans and fired upon the zombies as the people dashed for the cover of their bus, making us wake up on the wrong side of the bed so to speak. Of course, thier multiple uses of the polluted, untreated city water did not bode well for their digestion and so during the drive I had to get what was designated as 'shit buckets' for obvious use since Raph refused to stop. Well...that's not completely true. He said they could stop if they wished, but he and I, in one of the vans, would keep on going, insisting to me that either way they chose at least they would learn something. I find it amazing that the people would rather crap in buckets than go on thier own, I guess Raph really does have that leadership thing that we never thought he had.

He is almost nothing like Leo when it comes to being a leader. Then again, I guess that it's unfair to compare them when you look at what each of them is leading. Leo was leading a family who would sometimes quarrel and had grown up with each other all their lives. Raph had found himself an unexpected leader of a group of 50 or so people whom he had barely known for 24 hours, were a different species than him, and whom he knew very little about and vice versa. He wasn't calling it leading yet, in fact the more I look at him the more I see him try to avoid it.

Well, I guess avoid isn't the right word. He IS leading, the style is just so different. Like this morning, I could easily see him leaving those people behind if they had chose to stop every fifteen minutes so someone could scramble behind a fire hydrant or something and squirt. The way that he treated them after realizing what happened wasn't drawn out, there wasn't even that much verbal exchange. Leo would have gottent the group together for a lesson and perhaps a quick lecture and depending on his mood would get frustrated if no one listened. Raph didn't seem to care too much if they listened or not, he'd say what he had to say and if they didn't hear him the first time then tough luck. This method actually seemed to work, their heads snapped towards him when his voice rang out. He just looked them over, all puking from the rancid city water and scared from the zombie chase and asked if anyone was hurt or missing. He did this with a relatively low voice, though the anger in it was palpable, at least to me. When they said no, he said "You're stupid little stunt nearly got me and everyone else here killed. I hope you're f#king proud of yourselves. Next time just wake me up since I see you can't even take a shit without help." Then he just turned and walked away. They might have seen it as mean but I saw it different. He was about to lose his temper and knew it, he didn't want to blow up around anyone. He said it was because he didn't want the whole 'monster' issue to come up again but once again I thought different.

I guess the best comparison that I can think of is ducks. Some times I would watch ducks that land in central park and look at the little duck families. (they're so cute!) For the most part, the mother seemed to ignore the baby ducks unless they were in danger. But the little ducklings would follow her blindly and desperately with complete faith in all that she did. Hence the whole 'let me poop in a bucket rather than lose sight of him' thing. I'd present this idea to Raph but I don't think that he'd appreciate being called a duck.

Now here we are, 50 hungry, irratable people with 4/5ths of the group losing all thier fluids through their rumps. We have already eaten through the meager foods that was filched from the apartments. We traveled for several monotonous, long hours; taking turns at the wheel while the car was in motion and looking out for a relatively zombie free store of some kind where we can get food. My belly rumbled in happiness when we came across a building that looked like it had potential. It was at a smaller town, where the grocery store was one of those small things that sold only food and not everything else under the sun like those big chain stores. Several of the windows were already broken but the place looked relatively deserted otherwise.

As soon as the vehicles stopped the people in the bus shifted restlessly as one. Raph got out of the van and asked for volunteers to perform a quick search for any undead. I hopped out along with Simon, Mariana and a few others. Shouldering the meager firepower we entered the building. We searched the area silently, creeping through the aisles. Everything was in dissarray, but most seemed to still be there. Probably zombies just came and tore everything up or something.

I was walking behind Raph who was still unusually silent. Almost the entire trip he hardly said a word unless it was needed, spending the rest of the time brooding on something that only he knew. I ached to talk to him, to reach out for him and make him feel better but this wasn't the time. I knew better than to push conversation, which is what I thought he needed, but I still watched him carefully; though I'm not sure what for.

Looking at the back of my brothers silent head I sighed and drifted off into another aisle by myself. Slowly creeping down the aisle I watched halfheartedly for the undead. I was pretty certain that we weren't going to find a thing, I was just going through the motions to make Raph happy. All this sitting still was driving me batty, what I really wanted to do was tear through this thing. I looked up at the ceiling with interest. It was constructed of steel poles with lights hanging from it. I could clearly picture myself swinging from pole to pole like a monkey. I could even make monkey sounds to annoy Raph. If only I had some bananas to throw...

A sound got my attention immediately. Whipping my head around, I ducked lower and crept towards the source. Peering from behind a jug of apple juice, I looked out.

I recognized him immediately. It was the man who initially threatened Raph with a shotgun before being knocked out by my red-banded brother. Kerrigan, I think it was. John Kerrigan. I didn't know that he was part of the search party! I was about to step out until I saw him bodily slam someone against the heavy paneled windows of the frozen section. It was the boy that followed Raph around like he worshipped him, the one who jumped to do so many things for him the night of our escape and continued to adore my brother despite the insults thrown at him when he was in a bad mood: Jimmy Kerrigan, the man's son.

The teenage kid whimpered as his father tightened his hold on his shirt collar. "Listen to me boy, blood is thicker than water, don't betray me over that green f#king monster!" he snarled into his face.

Jim looked at him and visibly gulped. "B-but dad, he's doing so great! And he might not act like it sometimes, but you can tell that he's really nice, and he cares. Why do you think that everyone's folowing him? Even you're-"

He got re-slammed so hard his teeth clipped together. "Don't you dare say that, boy! The only reason that I'm still here is because you refuse to leave that vermin!"

The look in the kid's eye changed as he gripped his father's hands suddenly and assessed him. "You didn't have any issue leaving mom to those things, why give a crap about me?"

The man's face purpled with rage as he raised his fist to the boy's face. I was about to move, but Jimmy did it for me. Swiftly bringing up his knee he caught him hard in the crotch. The man buckled slightly and the kid used the pause to punch at his elbows, causing them to buckle. Automatically he released his hold on his shirt and Jim stepped free. Kerrigan now pale face looked at him in stunned disbelief. "Y- you hit me! You've never raised your hand to me! Why-" Suddenly his cheeks flushed and his jowls trembled. "You'll pay for that you little snot nosed-"

"No, John." Clearly terrified, the kid nonetheless held his ground even with trembling knees. "You're not going to knock me around anymore like you're little punching bag. Mr. Raphael says that no one should be able to do that to someone. You don't care. That's why you left mom to get eaten alive. You don't care about me either other than what I can get you, the only reason you're staying here is because you're scared whether you admit it or not. And I'm not going to do anything else for you, especially that. In fact..." he raised his chin slightly. "I don't care if I never see you again."

Glowering at him, Kerrigan cracked his knuckles and stepped towards the boy. Some of his courage suddenly faltered and he scrambled back. "If you hurt me, I swear Mr. Raphael will hurt you worse! I swear! Leave me alone! Please, leave me alone!"

He hesitated, giving the kid a chance to scramble away and bolt down the aisle, leaving all shreds of bravado behind. His father, thoroughly pissed, started to beat the crap out of the helpless jugs of juice.

I couldn't help but grin, in fact I had been stiffling laughter through most of the show. Mr. Raphael? Mister! I knew for sure that it wasn't Raph's idea, but I was going to make sure that he wasn't going to hear the end of it! And he talked with the boy heart-to-heart style? Why else would he talk about 'no one should be able to do that to someone' kinda stuff? Raph was becomming a mentor! My stuffy, grouchy, hot-tempered brother is being big-brother to a lanky teenager! And what was the dad talking about making the kid do that he was so upset about?

Suddenly the guy got the the apple juice jugs. Grinning, I hopped out in front of him and sayd "HEYA!" He jumped back, startled, stumbled over his own feet and crashed to the floor. With a shocked and slightly scared look on his face, he looked up at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. I was taken slightly aback. He was actually _scared_ of me! I looked at him curiously with my head cocked, working this new bit of information into my brain. Then a wide grin played over my mouth. "What were you talking about there, John?" I asked him in a creepy monotone voice, classic to any horror movie.

He crab-walked away from me, stammering, his eyes never leaving mine. I tried my best to make my face look disspassionate and brooding. In my mind I could see ominous stormclouds form above us. And maybe a creepy, eery wind whistling through...I love horror movies!

"P-p-p-please, I was just-"

"SILENCE!" I hissed. "Tell me what you were discussing before I gut you on the spot!" I cocked my head to the side suddenly and grinned a manic smile.

His face visibly paled. "N-n-nothing! I swear! I just wanted him to sneak some extra food for me, is all! Really!"

I couldn't tell if he was lying or not, though I was leaning more towards lying. I heard Raph call out for me at the other side of the store. I narrowed my eyes at the man and the thunderclouds and eerie wind went on overdrive. Ultra creepy. "Leave now! Never speak of this again or you will find yourself without a head! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

With a terrified "eep" he scrambled away, bolting down the aisle, tripping on the way down and falling in the dairy section. Watching him as he was covered in old milk I couldn't help but chuckle. No one had ever fallen for one of my 'acts' before! It was awesome!!

"Mikey!"

His voice breaking me out of my reverie I practically skipped through the store, my mind in the settings of countless classic black-and-white horror movies. People passed me on the way, hurriedly collecting various food and other items. They moved with such a purpose, one collecting a heck of a lot of bread, another stuffing dried fruit into a bag, that I could tell that they were assigned. Apparently Raph already started the stocking up process. I could hear him talking before I reached him.

"Mariana's agreed to drive one of the vans that we will stock up with our supplies. Everything else will be spread with the other two vehicles. Uh, you made sure that the bus riders got the pepto, right?"

"Yes, Mr. R!"

"Good, because they stink worse than the sewers. We're going to have to keep a lookout for clothing somewhere, then maybe they'd freshen up a bit. They smell even by MY standards, and they're low! But we need to get the hell out of here before the undead b#stards get attracted to the place, especially with the noise these bozos are making!"

"Yes, Mr. R!"

He groaned. "For the last freakin' time, kid, stop calling me Mister! I'm not even twenty! I mean you're like what, 16?"

"Um, 14."

"Right. If you want to call someone Mister, call Simon Mister, I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it. Or better yet, Peters. Then he'd kick your ass. Now get out of here already!"

"Uh, yes sir!"

He scrambled out with a big smile on his face while Raph grunted in frustration and pitched a twinkie at the kid. Ducking the tasty baked morsel, he darted out to do happily do my brother's bidding. I watched him go, already I could tell a major difference in him than when we first met him.

I stepped into view with a broad grin on my face. "My brother! How nice it is to see you after all this time!" I announced in a cheesy italian accent. (why I don't know, just felt like it!)

He grimaced at me. "Shoot me right now. That would be prefferred to working with these dimwits." He was sitting on a bag of dogfood, looking frustrated and tense. We were surrounded by other pet products and were pretty much to ourselves in this aisle.

"I don't know, bro, seems like they like you pretty well!"

"THAT'S what I don't f#king understand! You think that they'd hate me! Shun me! Hell, you'd think they'd at least come at me with torches and pitchforks or something! Why this! I was prepared for the others but this? Why! I mean they could go to anyone! ANYONE! Why me? I'm not even their species! Did you know today someone asked me what they should do with their baby's dirty diaper? Can you believe that? And another one asked me when he should go to sleep. It's like they can't think for themselves but somehow expect me to do it for them, and obviously I have to otherwise they'll bathe and swim in sewer water and attract zombies like they did this morning! What the f#king hell is WRONG with these people!" He put his face in his hands, shaking his head. I looked at him curiously. He was clearly out of his element. I sayed quiet. He was ranting now, something that he needed to do for a while. It would be best for him to just get it all out right now. I listened attentively, giving him my silent support.

"This isn't what I wanted! I just wanted to get out, get to safety and find our family wherever they are! Instead I find over fifty people waiting on me to say 'jump' and I wonder how I got into this f#king situation! They're like cats. You feed one stray pretty soon a whole colony is begging for you to support them. You know," He said thoughtfully, "I had always envied Leo and his position over us. He was superior. The leader. And I know that I'm having a different experience with it and all, but now that I've gotten a taste of this whole 'leadership' thing I don't like it one freaking bit! Someone else can have it!" He sighed. "But no matter what I do, what I've said, they don't want anyone else to have it! They want me...and I don't know why. I mean...what's so appealing about someone like me?" He looked at me earnestly and I knew what he was trying to say but didn't utter a word. To do so now would be embarrassing to him, and he was stressed out enough right now.

Instead I reached over and touched his shoulder. Already practically trembling with stress, he rose to his feet and embraced me in a fierce hug before I knew what he was doing. Though it was a surprise I welcomed it and hugged him just as fiercely. "They love you for the same reason I do, because you got a good heart, honor and a somewhat reasonable head on your shoulders. Don't worry, you're doing great. These people would be dead right now if it weren't for you. You should be proud. Master Splinter would be proud...and Leo would be jealous!" Even at the pained mention of some of our lost family I could feel him smiling against my neck as he embraced me tighter.

I couldn't help it.

"...Mr. Raphael..."

He shoved me forcefully into the pile of dogfood bags. I bounced off them, giggling hysterically even as he glared at me.

Simon appeared and motioned at Raph. "Uh, someone wants to see you about something, they refuse to speak to anyone but you. You better hurry or there may be a fight."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. I winked at him and he smirked and followed Simon with a little less tension in his step. I smiled after him. He was going to be alright. For a brief second I considered telling him what I might've overheard between the Kerrigans, but banished it from my thougt. He had enough to worry about already.

Lying on the bags of dogfood, looking up at the lights of an abandoned grocery store due to a massive zombie infestation, I couldn't help but think of what the rest of my family was up to...

* * *

A/N: Not a lot of action, I know. But I hope that it was enjoyable nonetheless! I just felt that we needed to know the all-important roll Mikey plays with the group; one reason I put him with Raph. Please tell me your thoughts, even if they're just a few words to let me know that people are still interested in this thing. And if you tend to ramble, have no fear for I LOVE ramblers! They tend to give me the greatest inspiration!

Toodles!

PS. I'm computer illiterate. What does aewlkgjewogih stand for? I haven't the foggiest idea...


	16. Escape From Fire

Disclaimer: I dont' own the TMNT

A/N: Well, it was easier to write than I thought. Not a lot of deep thought in this one; mostly action and stuff...sorry!

Chapter 16

Escape From Fire

The gun clattered to the floor as I listened to the man screaming his agony amidst the sounds the zombie's made as they tore into him. The city seemed to be on fire, an eerie glow spreading on the distant buildings like a sick sunrise. My mind barely filtered this as I pressed my hands to my ears suddenly to block out the man's screams. 'What did you just do, Leonardo!' I cried to myself. A feeling in my stomach was beginning to make me sick. I fought down the nausea as my thoughts shot to the first man; suddenly I failed and chunky liquid came gushing to my mouth. Retching, I emptied the meager contents of my stomach onto the pale roof. Scrambling up, almost slipping on my own vomit, I ran through the door. My limbs trembled as I crept slowly down the stairs. The undead screaming and pounding at the outer walls made the sound deafening. My heart was in my throat.

What did I do? What sort of monster have I become? Master Splinter, O' Master Splinter! What have I done! My heart seemed to pound at my chest, frantic to get out of this body that had done such a horrid thing. My knees seemed to go weak and I gripped the stair railing. I looked down the spiral to the bottom floor almost three floors down. My feet seemed to get light and I could almost picture my feet stepping onto that railing and floating to the bottom to be with Master Splinter. It would be so easy...

A cry reached my ears and immediately my attention was riveted. The children! They're the reason that you went off the deep end in the first place, because of the abuse they were suffering!

My entire train of thought changed that instant. Forcing myself to push away the pity and sorrow of my Master's death and the murders that I had committed, I sought out the children. I found them where I left them, only they were all free. The little girl who had been attacked when I arrived had apparently been busy untying the others. I stepped into the room and swept my eyes over them. They shrieked at the sight of me and huddled in the corner, staring at me with fearful eyes. My eyeridges furrowed as I eyed the three children. Wait, wasn't there four of them?

The blow came from behind, sharp to the back of the head. It was enough to make me fall to my knees as the stabbing pain radiated from my skull. I could see out of the corner of my eye the boy who hit me raise the crowbar for another blow, his teeth gritted together and his eyes wild. Pivoting on my foot I easily caught the metal and wrenched it from his hands. The movement caused him to stumble off his unsteady perch of two stacked chairs and onto the floor. Even as he touched the floor he lunged at me again, snarling like an animal. Catching both his wrists in one hand I jerked him away. He immediately began flailing at me with his scrawny legs so in one motion I pinned them to the floor. He looked at me and glared.

Suddenly realizing how this must feel after what had happened to him and what he saw I quickly let him go, holding both palms out in front of me with an uncertain smile on my face. "Okay, okay. It's alright. I'm not the bad guy, those guys are gone. All gone. They'll never hurt you again."

The boy, standing protectively in front of the others assessed me with an untrusting look. He looked ready to tackle me again at any time. "But you hurt them. You could hurt others. You might try to hurt us."

I winced inwardly but strained to maintain a passive face. I almost answered with a retort but held myself in check, changing my tactics. Master Splinter always said that you could get more with honey than with vinegar. "Did you want me to leave them alone? To not touch them?" I said in a gentle voice. A zombie let out a piercing scream outside. I shook my head. Not exactly the best surroundings for illiciting trust.

His face scrunched and the heads of the little children shook so fast that they're hair flew, but they still looked up at the boy to see what he would do. With eyes betraying a forced maturity vastly beyond his years he stared at me. "No, they were hurting us. But then you came and hurt them. After hurt comes more hurt." He cocked his head slightly, assessing me with his gaze. "Who's going to hurt you?"

I staggered inwardly at his words. How old was this kid? I heard something explode in the distance. The children behind him jumped at the sound and huddled closer behind him. Managing not to look towards it I continued my stare contest with the boy. He didn't flinch, didn't act like he heard a thing, just continued his stare. I put on a lop-sided smile. "Well, you sure did! My head hurts a lot!" I did my best to grin, but judging by their expressions I wasn't too successfull. "What's your name?"

"Mark." He said simply, not cracking a smile; his expression didn't even change. Suddenly he looked towards the window as another explosion rocked the city, close enough that we could feel the vibrations beneath our feet. When he looked back at me those cold eyes were replaced with those of a child, frightened and confused.

Softening, I extended my hand. "Listen, I know some bad things have happened to you, they've happened to me too. But we can't stay here, it's not safe. You can come with me, I swear to you that I will protect you like my own. I swear it on my honor."

My eyes bore into his and for a tense second neither of us spoke. Then he looked at the smaller children behind him and smiled. They smiled back and walked towards me. He did as well, though he didn't take my proffered hand. The two youngest approached me with trembling lips. Without thinking I scooped them up in my arms, sitting them on my left arm as though it were a seat. The older of the two giggled suddenly and batted at my nose. "Baby Bop!" She giggled some more. I looked at her with a confused look even as the boy smiled to himself.

Hurriedly we headed for the stairs. I looked at the older girl with a worried look. Blood stained her dress and she was walking with obvious pain. The boy saw me looking and started to pull her defensively behind him but stopped. "She's okay. They only got her once. Only one time. She'll be okay." My face felt cold. Only once? That's okay? I shook my head and pushed it from my thoughts at the moment. For now I had to concentrate on getting out of here.

I dared ask the question. "Are any of your parents still here?" He gave me a piercing look that would've made Raph back off and jerked his head side to side. Nope. Didn't think so. Change the subject, Leo. "Did those guys have a car or something?"

Looking relieved at the subject change, he nodded. "I heard them start it up a few times downstairs when they were thinking of leaving. After the other kids came they didn't bother with it anymore."

I glanced at him as we headed down the stairs, mulling over his words. So he was the first? I highly doubted that he got this far unscathed. And there was that comment about 'only once.' The implications made me shudder slightly. 'Don't think about that right now, Leonardo. Just get them out of here safely and take it from there.' Taking that train of thought, I set the two youngest down and told them that I'd meet them downstairs. Mark tightened his grip on the crowbar but said nothing, simply nodded.

This was a bad idea, but I didn't see any other choice. This was the lowest building in this area, and the taller buildings around me didn't have the fire escapes on this side otherwise I'd roof jump out of here like how I got in. But of course I couldn't, and going out amongst infectious gouls wasn't wise either. This was the only option I could think of that would be feasible.

Taking the stairs two by two I reached the top floor and crept into the apartment. As soon as I opened the door the smell of standing blood, flesh, and feces invaded my nose and I gagged. My stomach remembered that it was empty and didn't retch like I thought it would. Holding my hand to my nose I entered the room. The man that I had skewered open still lay there unchanged, resting on his guts. Flys were already landing on his carcass. Hurriedly I looked about the room, didn't find any weapons or anything that I could use, not even any real food. I finally looked through the thing's pockets, sliding my hand into the wet fabric encasing the guy's fat tissue. Finally my fingers closed around his keys. Happy to be out of there I snatched a thick blanket along the way and practically slid down the stairs to the basement where the garage was.

The children were already scattered about, looking in the windows of different cars. There were three cars parked in there, Mark was looking at the empty space with a strange look in his eye. Looking at him, I hesitated slightly, I was about to approach him but another explosion that made me unsteady on my feet made me prioritize. The key in my hand was to a Ford, and I groaned when I saw that the only Ford was a rusty old station wagon, 1980 or 1970 something. Trust a pediphile not to keep a decent vehicle. But as I lacked Don's ability to hot wire, it was our only choice.

Urging the children into the car I shoved the key into the ignition and fired it up. Or I should say that the engine slowly rumbled to life. I groaned inwardly. This wasn't going to end good. Handing the blanket to the kids in the back I instructed them to use it as cover...just in case. Every little bit helps. "Now, how do we open the garage door?" I mumbled to myself. Mark, sitting in the front passenger seat, just looked at me opened the door and hopped out. I was about to protest when I saw him reach a latch on the wall of the garage and flip it up. A very old, tired sounding machine around me slowly hummed to life as Mark slipped back into the car and slammed the door to make sure it closed properly. I shifted gears in anticipation, the mechanics groaned as I slowly let off the break to inch forward. The door opened with a painstakingly loud rattle, one that could probably be heard by the whole block. With the ninja in me gritting his teeth at the racket, I prepared myself for the onslaught to come.

And come it did.

As soon as the door creaked open a few feet, the first zombie was clawing frantically under it, screamin at us his hunger. Just like insects swarming out of a nest they came at us. I slammed on the gas and the engine protestingly obeyed, taking a second to kick itself into high gear. The garage door shuddered open and the mass of undead came in a solid wall, screaming and wailing their thirst for human flesh. My heart fluttered at the sight of them. This beat up car, it wouldn't take more than two seconds of bashing from them. This could be the end...

Another explosion, closer than the last one, rocked the block. Kicking and flailing, all the walking corpses fell to the ground like cockroaches blown over. I used the opportunity and ran over them, the old suspension creaking and groaning even as we were bounced and jostled in our seats. If I wasn't wearing my seatbelt I would've been knocked out. But they only stayed down for an instant. Like fallen dogs they scrambled to their feet and lunged for the car.

It was then that a fierce wave of hot air hit us so hard that the zombies were knocked over yet again. I could feel the searing heat through the car. We made it over the initial pileup when I saw where the heat had come from. All the children screamed and ducked down as a wall of fire approached us. Yelling, I grabbed Mark and sheilded him with my body.

We were cooked. The heat was so intense that the tires popped beneath us with a bang and a sizzle. The pressure inside increased more and more until finally all the windows exploded and the fiery flames came gushing inside. I screamed as tiny shards of glass pierced my flesh and the flames licked my skin.

It only lasted an instant, less time that it takes to blink an eye, yet the smell of burnt flesh pervaded the air. I could hear the young children whimper under the thick blanket and sent a silent thank you that I thought to bring it. Yet as I heaved myself off of Mark, I cried out as my skin protested the movement. I leaned back into the crispy cushion and groaned as I watched steam rise off the ground. Waves of heat enveloped my vision and all around me things were burning. Mark looked at me with a shocked expression, then his jaw set and he moved towards me.

The loud sound of military aricraft overhead thundered over us and faded just as quickly. Immediately following was the sound of bombs going off elsewhere in the city. It only took an instant to put together. There was a reason for our quarantine, our lives were forefit.

A small hand grasped the key and yelped as the scalding metal burned his skin. Tearing off a piece of his shirt, Mark covered his hand and tried the key again. Then engine, killed by the sudden intense heat, groaned and sputtered but didn't flip. Trying it again, I listened to the sound of the engine struggling to rise and fail yet again. Enveloping my hand over his, I twisted the key while pumping the gas. Come on...go...go...

It turned over and slowly shuddered to a dull roar. Grinning despite the pain that it caused my face I stomped on the gas pedal, then yelped as it burned my foot. Scrambling, Mark grabbed the mat from the floor and covered the pedals with it. Nodding to him, I pushed the accelerator and we started moving.

The tires, already popped, were left behind us as we continued forward. Driving on our axles, it was slow going to put it mildly. I knew that we wouldn't get far, but we didn't have to get too far. Only to the edge of the city...I hope. All around us were remnants of the once great city. Most things were in rubble, cars were nothing but skeletons and charred human bones were scattered everywhere. Even as I pushed the car to its pathetic top speed of 100, causing arcs of sparks to follow behind us, I wondered why we didn't end up this way. From the sounds of it, we weren't hit directly with the bomb only with it's shockwave. That and the car is what probably saved our lives back there.

Even as we tore down the city with the ear-wrenching sound of metal screeching on the street, we could hear another aricraft approaching. The children started screaming and I gasped as I looked behind me and saw it lower behind us. Gritting my teeth, I wrenched at the wheel and ducked the vehicle into a tight alley, scraping the walls along the way.

Just then the bomb hit probably near the building we just left. As before, another gust of heat rushed at us, followed by an immense wall of fire. Luckily the buildings that I had wedged the car between took most of the hits, for us it the heat was enough to bear. The thunder of the aircraft was loud as it flew away again.

With all the kids screaming, I waited until I was sure that it was over and backed the car out, the sides screeching on the building walls because it was a tiny bit too tight. Backing into the streat, which was hotter than ever, we continued our path. Everything was seared, it was like hell, or what I'd imagine it. With everyone pouring sweat, the screaming renewed as the distant sound of aircraft approached us from behind. My heart thudded against my chest. No, no, NO! This was not how it was supposed to go!

Then, despite the charred remains of the city, I recognized the area. Swerving the car into the conjoining street, I barreled down the path. Fumbling, I undid the latch of my seatbelt. Mark looked at me with a shocked expression. "What are you going to do!" He screamed.

"We're going for a swim!" I yelled over the oncoming aircraft. With wide eyes he looked forward and screamed as I revved the engine towards the river. Grabbing the blanket off the children in the backseat I yelled at them to get ready to swim. They screamed but understood. It was all I needed. The worn, hot axles hit what was left of the docks and suddenly we were airborne.

We hit the water with a thunderous splash, the car not sinking immediately. Reaching back and grabbing handfulls of clothing, I practically tossed kids out the window, the vehicle was submerged by the time that I got everyone out. I resisted the urge to cry out as the saltwater enveloped me, making my burned skin sting like it was on fire again. Somehow squeezing my big shell through the window, I swam upwards and saw the children all skillfully treading water. Reaching up, I started grabbing feet and yanking them under. Somehow I got them all below the surface by the time the fire enveloped the sky above us. Looking up with fearful eyes, everyone managed to stay under with my help, though I had to hold onto the youngest two.

As soon as it passed everyone surfaced for breath. The water surface was steaming, but the water temperature wasn't drastically effected by the short bursts of heat from above. Shouldering the two young children only hampered my swimming a little bit and I still had to slow down for the other two. I knew just where to go. It wasn't far from this area, not even a mile. I grimaced as I caught sight of it. The old garbage dump, where our friends were running the place as a sort of recycling center after the Garbage Man was overthrown, had clearly been bombed already. I just hoped that some of the equipment still survived.

As soon as we reached the surface, I reached for my katana and told the children to stay put. Exhausted from the swim, I didn't need to tell them twice. Holding my blades ready for any unexpected zombies that survived, I swiftly searched the place. Most of the equipment was completely destroyed. The only things close to human that I found were the charred remains of people...or the undead. Sprinting down the perimeter, I found it. Their old boat. It was still intact. Considering it was made from all recycled parts it had actually held out pretty well. A simple vessel made of metal it was about twenty feet long with space below and above deck. Hopping into the water, I had to swim for about a hundred yards before reaching it. As I found a rope ladder dangling from it's slippery surface, I boarded ready to face any undead. Thankfully, there was none.

Scrambling, I looked over the controls, frantically trying to remember how to work the thing. Tentatively I touched the rubber key hanging out of the ignition and turned it. The engine, healthy and full of vitality, revved to life with a glorious sound. Though it took me about ten minutes to master the bare basic controls I at least managed to get it from point A to point B, the children.

Even as we skimmed speedily across the river surface, I couldn't help but look back as another aircraft swooped and dropped yet another bomb. I knew that my home would never be the same again.

* * *

A/N: As always, please let me know what you think/predict/like and whatnot. Feel free to ramble to your heart's content! Also, to those who are interested, I'm probably going to be updating my Mikey torture fic sooner than I thought, probably by the end of the weekend or somewhat. Hope to hear from you!

Toodles!


	17. I'm Bit

Disclaimer: I dont' own the TMNT

A/N: Sorry for the delay...been having some troubles that I won't bother you with. But this chapter has been nibbling at me for some time so I had to get it out. Special thanks to Damgel for her motivation and bouncing off ideas. She also encouraged me to no end on my Mikey fic! I hope you enjoy this chapter despite it's length, some of Donny's thoughts are a bit angsty so just keep in mind his situation. Enjoy!

Chapter 17

I'm Bit...

Pain radiated madly through my body from my skull. My vision was hazed as I watch the LAV rumble out of sight. I planted my hands on the pavement and heaved myself up, but suddenly the world spun and my arms buckled, slamming my head in the pavement again. I could see the blood from my wound spatter on impact. The zombies screamed around me, but the world seemed to go in slow motion. I couldn't tell where they were. Now that I was aware of it, the neat bite on my shoulder seemed to burn, but I couldn't pay attention to that now...I needed to escape or be eaten.

A wild hand grabbed my ankle. I cried out and kicked at him, but as soon as I shook him loose another hand grabbed my hand. Pain shot through my leg as teeth sunk into my calf and another into my other thigh. Kicking and swinging wildly I heaved myself to my feet and staggered away, my world spinning to the point that I felt the bile rising in my throat, my stomach contents about to come up. 'No, not now...please!' My wild staggering wasn't fast enough to escape the undead. Hands gripped my body and I screamed defiance, grasping my bo and swinging it blindly, my vision too blurred to see straight. I could feel teeth and claws score my arm and rammed my fist into its face. I fought them off wildly, keeping my balance with my spinning head by sheer luck alone. But I knew that it couldn't last, there were too many...

Finally my luck ran out and I toppled onto the pavement flat on my shell. Shrieking, a zombie jumped on my plastron and lunged for my throat. A brown blur suddenly attached itself to the things back, jaws gripping it's neck. Suddenly the jaws tightened and twisted. A loud crackle went into the air and when the zombie's head was released it flopped uselessly even though the body still flailed. Grasping its head I shoved the thing off and scooted backwards on my shell. Just as another undead came for me there was the brown streak again, attaching its jaws to the throat and ripping everything out. With sharp fangs achillese tendons were slashed and zombies toppled to the ground, still 'alive' but slowed considerably. Black, rotted blood oozed from countless wounds and necks were broken with such a speed that it sounded like a bowl of rice crispies. It wasn't until one of the zombies scored a blow on the streak and I heard a canine yelp that the realization struck home. Rintintin!

My vision clearing and with the dizziness ebbing to the recesses of my mind, I gained more momentum in my movements. Not caring about being bit...after all I was bit already...I dove into the crowd and found the assault rifle I dropped while getting shot off the LAV. Swinging around, I pointed the barrell at the incoming onslaught and squeezed the trigger. The walking corpses danced like arcaic experiments with electricity as the bullets plowed through their bodies in countless places. The soft, decaying flesh was like butter, the sunk in eyes easy targets, the gaping mouths begging to be filled with bullets. I mowed them down, getting a nice big pile in front of me when the magazine finally clicked empty.

Their numbers were greatly reduced, but a wounded turtle and a dog could only do so much. Sometimes retreat was the only option. Shaking my head to clear the last of my haze I turned on my heel and ran, spying the first vehicle I saw: a red pickup. A V8 4x4 heavy duty with a hemi by the looks of it! Perfect! The door already being ajar, I saw no keys and yanked it open and ripped off the cheap plastic protecting the wires that I needed. I heard Rintintin yelp as I stripped the wires, broke them and twisted. The whole thing seemed ironic suddenly. I didn't know why I was doing this, I was going to die anyway, right? That's what the bites mean, death. My family was likely dead, I was alone, so why prolong your death?

I already knew why. I wasn't going to die without a fight, especially with April possibly needing me.

The necessary spark leapt and the engine roared to life. I let my breath out, not realizing that I had held it. Letting out a shrill whistle I hopped into the drivers seat. The sound was met with a sharp bark. I looked out to see Rintintin sprinting from the pack of zombies, now reduced in numbers by at least 2/3 since I was pushed out of the LAV. Springing on his paws, he executed a perfect leap over my lap and into the passenger seat. Slamming the door, I stomped hard on the accelerator. Smiling at the sound of all the pistons firing and working in the magnificent engine, I laid down a strip of rubber as I tore out of the lot. The zombies bounced off my reinforced fender, hardly slowing me. Revving the engine more I tore down the road, leaving them in my dust.

I knew I couldn't go far. Some of my wounds, especially the one on my head, were bleeding. Dirt and whatever bacteria that reannimated decaying bodies carry was in our wounds. Plus I needed to treat whatever injuries Rintintin got while defending me. While scanning the surrounding area for a source of supplies, I spoke without thinking. "Alright, boy. We need to find some place with first aid supplies and possibly a pharmacy. Got to get our wounds treated, got to find that Dick and help April. We got to..." I just kept on talking as the landscape spread before us, hardly a building in sight. My eyes grew weary of searching. When would we find another community? Rintintin was an excellent listener, just sitting there, licking his wounds and panting with his wide pink tongue oozing drool onto the floor. But I was especially greateful for his presence as my conversation turned to more morbid matters.

"I'm bit. Damn, I can't believe that I'm bit. Even if I could've treated the first one I got, that ass had to shoot me in the friggin head! I can't believe it! And did you see what he did to April? He might've broken her nose! I mean, what a dick!" Rintintin looked at me with an assessing eye and yipped in a sound that I took as agreement. "Now I'm going to become one of them, a reanimated corpse bent on eating human flesh." I shook my head suddenly. Was it just me or did I feel...dreamy kind of? Cloudy? "No, that won't happen. I'll end it myself before that happens, but not before I make sure April's alright."

I looked at a neat bite impression on my lower arm. "I wonder how the conversion takes place?" Fascinated, I imagined a virus attaching itself to the cells of my body, slowly taking over the mitochondria in the healthy tissue and turning it into something else. "Do you have to die from the wound, or will whatever toxins that it releases into your body kill you then turn you? Damn, what I'd give for a microscope right now. It has to attack the nervous system, I'm sure of it. That's why getting the brain ends all motion. It must be. Plus if you lop off the head or break the neck, the body is either not working or not as coordinated. I wonder what's going to happen now, what the systems are, how long it takes... How long do I have? Minutes? Hours? Days? All this not knowing...it's driving me crazy! Man, I really would kill for a good microscope right now! Or a textbook...What will happen first? Maybe a fever? Will I suddenly crave raw flesh? If only I knew what to expect, maybe I could prepare for it! Perhaps treat the symptoms, like you'd treat any other disease. If only I knew..."

Rintintin yipped again and nudged my arm with his nose. I jumped, realizing immediately that I'd been dozing. Glancing at the digital clock, I saw that 15 minutes had passed since I last looked. I looked at the road. Despite obviously being out of it, I was somehow still on the same road, going the same direction, at the same speed. My heart skipped a beat and I shivered, my head swimming. Maybe it was from your head wound, after all you did lose blood...who was I kidding. This wasn't like me, and this wasn't the first head wound I ever got. It must be the virus. It had to be. It was taking effect. I glanced at the clock again. Guessing by this first symptom, I hypothesized a day, possibly a day and a half. It would probably be quicker both because of the multiple bites and the blood loss that I've suffered. After all, it only stands to reason, things like that are taken into account with nearly any other injury or disease.

I had to work fast.

Quickly in my head I made the calculations. The LAV can go 80mph and is amphibious, Dickerson would probably belt it all out because he will likely assume that if I escape the zombies that he threw me to, then I'd pursue. He knows that I have the knowledge in how to do it, and he may be an ass but he isn't stupid. I've been clocking it at about 100, but he had a real big head start on top of that. But still, I should have nearly caught up with him by now...

Suddenly a cluster of buildings showed on the horizon. Trying to reign in my excitement, I craned my head over the steering wheel. I spied a small grocery store, with a pharmacy two buildings down. Slowing the truck, I parked it in front of the grocery, allowing it to idle in case I had to make a quick getaway. First stepping into the pharmacy, I made a beeline for the counter and stepped behind it. Searching through the bottles, I found some antibiotics and swallowed several whole, stuffing the rest into my bag. I gave a couple to Rintintin, who surprisingly gulped them down without complaint. I nodded, we'd probably need these. I couldn't imagine the teeth of the zombies being all that clean. Who knows? It might help with the zombie virus. Finding antiseptics, guaze, bandages, betadine and more I was temporarily given a task...a welcome distraction from the real situation. Rintintin sat patiently as I cleaned his fur. It was stained dark with old zombie blood and already after nearly a half hour in the truck he was beginning to smell. After that I swabbed his wounds. He had a nasty one on his foreleg where a strip of skin was peeled neatly from the flesh. After thoroughly cleaning it and applying antiseptic I used stitches to close it along with sterile rubber tubing to allow it to drain if need be. Even as I wrapped guaze around it, I still stared at the canine who was steadfast and silent through it all, simply staring at me with large brown eyes. I talked to him the entire time, partly just for the need to make some sort of sound. I told him what a good dog he was, and how I already suspected he was more than he let on, and thanked him for literally saving my tail with the zombies back there. I asked him curiously what Dickerson wanted with him, but he only looked at me with those same big brown eyes and what I could've sworn was a smile on his face.

The one on his leg was his worst, then it came to treating me.

I started with my head wound, which when I started applying the stinging antiseptic hurt enough to almost bring me to tears. After I cleaned out the dirty, clotted blood and chunks of dead flesh I felt it for the first time. It felt as though the bullet literally furrowed my skull. The flesh and skin around it arced up as though there was a bloody half-pipe on my head. No wonder I was so dizzy, I was lucky I didn't get a concussion. As nearly all head wounds go, it was still bleeding steadily so I dabbed a clotting agent onto my fingers and put some on. I shivered as my fingers touched what I swore was bone and liberally applied betadine and neosporine on top of it. I swore to thank April, if she wasn't there then the bullet probably would've found a different place, one more centrally located. After wrapping it firmly in guaze, I turned to my bite wounds. These I tried not to think about as I trimmed the dead flesh off the neat bite impressions and cleaned them. Despite the obvious punctures they hardly bled at all, almost as if they were already showing me what would happen to my blood. These bites would be the cause of my death, these puncture wounds made by the jagged teeth of the walking dead...it still seemed too surreal to believe even with bite marks as evidence. I shivered. Using more antiseptic than was actually needed, I bandaged them.

The entire process didn't take more than ten minutes, and after hurriedly snatching a few supplies we were off once more. I pushed the engine to a higher speed, thanking the owner of the vehicle for keeping a relatively full tank. We tore down the highway, several times running into troops of zombies. Despite the temptation I mostly swerved to avoid them, not wanting them to unduly damage my truck. What was most disturbing was the increased grogginess that I had to fight. It was as though I was drugged. Couple that with what I could tell was a rising skin temperature and I knew that I was in trouble. Sticking a thermometer under my tongue while tearing down the highway at 100plus, I saw that I was already over 100 degrees. Several times I realized that I was driving off the road and had to swerve to get back on it. Rintintin seemed to sense that I had some dilemma, whimpering and shifting restlessly in his seat. Several times he tried to shove my hand aside or stuck his nose against one of my bite wounds. I'm sure my sharp words hurt his feelings, but I just felt fortunate that I didn't strike him, for I felt like it sometimes. My nerves were more rattled than I ever remember them being before. If my hands hadn't been gripping the steering wheel so tightly then I swore that they'd be shaking.

Despite the morbid curiosity of my scientific mind wanting to think out the symptoms of '_corpus contagio mortuus_' rearing it's ugly head, I forced my thoughts in other directions. Distraction could sometimes be the key to weathering through things. I found quickly that it helped to think about April and Dickerson. Nurturing my anger, I thought of my bullet wound, of him striking April so forcefully and of my current situation. All because of him.

Again my pesky side of reason interjected. True, his actions technically were reasonable. He thought that I was bit, soon to go zombie. True, he had only his best interest at heart and never let on otherwise...but couldn't he have been less of...I don't know...a dick? Don't just leave me wounded to be eaten alive by zombies, be nice about it. And don't, under any circumstances, no matter what, hit April. That fact alone made my blood seem to boil. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Is this what Raph feels all the time? Though surely he doesn't always have an opposing side of reason, still it must be nice to be unburdened about it.

Rintintin became increasingly agitated even as I became more and more unaware of anything but my thoughts. Driving in a drug-like haze, I stared out almost unblinking as the road stretched out before us and dawn approached. Sometimes, despite my concentration, I couldn't recall where I was going or why. When I got out of bumps like that, I was terrified. Surely I must be losing my mind, my mind, my mind... The bite wounds seemed to sizzle on my skin, almost as if trying to remind me why I was feeling this way. What was going to happen to me. My flesh was losing it's color, seeming dull, gray... My skin seemed to droop and I was sure that if I looked at myself in the rearview mirror I would see that my eyes were getting that sunk-in look, and glassy. I didn't look. I didn't want to see the eyes of the nearly undead.

Time, time. It's all about time.

Sweating profusely, I rolled down the window. The chilly air blasted me, and still I felt feverish even as I shivered. My stomach rumbled, yet nothing around me looked appetizing. My thoughts drifted in similar patterns: I'm hot, hungry, hurting...hot, hungry, hurting...hot, hungry, hurting...hot, hungry, hurting... Then realization would strike me like a sledgehammer and I would come out of the stupor trembling with fear and anxiety. I was surely turning. Rapidly turning. Hours had passed and the sun was nearly set. Yet even as I looked at the clock, I couldn't tell you precisely _how_ much time had passed, only that it was a lot. I had to strain to think of April, strain to think of what I was doing, my mind continued to strain to simple thoughts...what was I doing??

Suddenly the truck vibrated crazily, shocking me out of yet another stupor. Blinking my eyes, I was shocked to find myself driving off the road, on the sidewalk in one of the bigger cities. I splashed into a puddle, sending mud and dirty water cascading over my windshield. Fumbling to turn on the wipers, I only succeded in turning on the radio. My scrambling mind scrambled to put things together, when suddenly the truck was upside down.

Striking a parked car when going over 100mph doesn't do good things for you. The blow tipped one side of the truck up, sending the heavy vehicle into a deadly roll. I screamed as I clutched at the dog, my seatbelt holding us both in place as the metal crunched around us and the glass shattered. Finally the truck stayed on it's roof, still spinning wildly as it skidded down the road, sending bright arches of sparks behind us. Crashing into another parked vehicle, we finally came to rest.

Pain radiated from my chest as well as my wounds as I released Rintintin and vomited while still hanging upside down. The stomach-acid-laced puke got into my nostrils and my eyes, burning both. Suddenly very confused, I wailed pathetically and furiously struggled to escape. Finally, some vestige of my mind finding the button the seatbelt was released and I fell on the crumpled, hot roof of the truck. Partly blinded by the vomit in my eyes, I crawled on my hands and knees out the broken passenger window and onto the street. Broken glass imbedded in my palms, I struggled to get up once more. I was sure that I said something, but it only came out as a low, all-too-familiar moan. I could hear answering moans and some screams in the distance...hungry ones...similar ones... Unknowingly I numbly turned towards these sounds, my heart beating much too slow considering the accident I just crawled away from. Somehow I registered this, but it didn't seem to matter. It seemed wrong, yet it wasn't. In some grotesque, morbid way, it was right.

Suddenly sharp teeth clamped themselves down on my hand, dragging me in the opposite direction. I screamed at the figure, causing him to let go. I recognized through my stupor the canine I traveled with. Dogs. They were of no interest. People...I need people...

Again he latched himself onto my hand. Reacting purely on unfiltered instinct, I swung at him with my other hand. He danced out of the way, snarling warily. When I turned from him once more he pounced on my shell, toppling me to the ground. Feeling weak, my heart fluttering at an even slower pace, I was sluggish to respond. I tried to speak, but my words were so slurred that I couldn't understand. Fangs latched themselves deep into the edge of my shell. I cried out, got on my hands and knees. At first I resisted the tugging at my shell, but the effort was too great, my confusion to overwhelming so I crawled towards him, though I wasn't sure what for. I wasn't sure of anything. Somehow this suited the canine's purpose and he led me dumbly along, tugging on my shell like a chew toy. I was vaguely aware of crawling over something, when he released me and a door slammed.

I moaned again, the intense sleepiness seeming to beat in tune with my weak heartbeat. Flopping on my side I simply lay there, my breath coming in shallow gasps. At the moment, this was all I wanted. Just to lie here... My eyes fluttered slowly closed even as my breathing and heartbeat did the same. A cold, chilly feeling came over me, but I could not get the energy to shiver. I just wanted peace, and I hungered for something that I couldn't quite place...

I hardly noticed the dog standing in front of me, worrying furiously at a bandage on his leg. The only reason that I saw this was because he was doing it right in front of me. Finally the guaze came off, and he bit himself. Wow. I tried to smile in amusement of this, but it took too much energy. I couldn't do it. Suddenly warm flesh was pressed against my lips and the coppery smell of blood invaded my nostrils. It wasn't right, it wasn't human...yet I took it. Weakly, I took it. Barely nipping at the raw wound, already torn for me by fangs, the blood flowed into my mouth unheeded. I swallowed again, and again, and again, my tongue greeting the taste, lapping at the blood.

Suddenly the drowsiness came over me too much, my chest hurt. My heart seemed to scream at me and each breath was a labored effort. It was too much. Too much. A wet nose pushed against my cheek as my eyelids drifted closed until all I saw was black.

* * *

I shivered on the cold floor and shifted, suddenly acutely aware of how awkwardly my body was twisted. My limbs felt weak, almost as though I had either been starved or truly terrified. Maybe both. The sunlight seemed too bright for my eyes. Squinting, I sheilded my eyes with my hand.

I smelled blood.

Suddenly startled, I was sitting up, my head pounding as though I had the worst hangover in history. Still squinting at the light, I looked at my hands. They were scratched up with tiny particles of glass inbedded into them. Dried blood and dirt covered them to the point that you could hardly tell my original color. Flexing them painfully I winced. My feet were the same way, but neither smelled too strongly of blood. Wiping my mouth with my forearm by impulse, I was shocked to find red streaks come off. I wiped my mouth with my other arm and got the same result.

My heart thudded hard against my chest suddenly as my mind raced through the past events. What?... Struggling, my mind more sluggish than I was used to, it came together vaguely like pieces of a puzzle. I was shot, bit, chased after Dickerson and April...a crash?...how did I get here?...what happened after?...what happened to me?... Through the haze of my memories a canine seemed to emerge. I remembered blood...

RINTINTIN!

I hopped to my feet, managing to ignore the wave of dizziness that swept over me. Where was he? I looked around frantically and was about to call for him when I heard the clicking of nails behind me. Turning around I saw him, looking up at me with a canine smile on his face. The wound on his leg was reopened, dried blood soaking his paws and my body went cold when I saw that it wasn't all canine teeth that had done the job.

Feeling slighly faint I sat down hard, my hand to my mouth. "Oh no...Rintintin, what did I do?" My hands trembled and my stomach rolled. I had ingested blood. His blood. After he saved me, I had done something like this! I am a monster! He whimpered sympathetically and sat down beside me, putting his paw on my leg almost as a gesture of support. I looked at him, but he didn't seem at all recoiled by my presence. In fact, if I'm any judge of canine mood (which I'm not sure if I am) he seemed happier than ususal. His tail hadn't stopped wagging since I woke up. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and concentrated. Vaguely, I remember him tearing off his own bandage... My eyes shot open and I looked at him. He was assessing me with a similar gaze. An idea popped in my head, but it seemed to crazy to fathom...but it was worth a try and I needed answers.

"Rintintin," he brightened at his name, his big brown eyes questioning. "I'm going to ask you several yes or no questions, tap your good paw once for yes, two for no, understand?" Giving me that canine smile, he took his paw off my leg and tapped it once on the floor. I was at a momentary loss. Just the fact that my idea had worked...this is crazy I have to be dreaming. I shook my head again. Well, dream or not, I still need information. I re-wound his bandage as I spoke, my mind reeling as I somehow found the words to speak after all this confusion.

"You're not a normal dog, are you?"

__

tap tap

"Yeah, didn't think so. Um, Last night, did I almost turn into a...well...you know...?"

__

tap

My chest ran cold. I tried to gulp down the feeling, struggled a bit, and finally gave up. "Did you stop the...conversion?"

__

tap

"You made me drink your blood?"

__

tap

"Is that what stopped it?"

__

tap

"How did you know?" Rintintin gave me a nudge with his nose, looking at me as if to say 'hey, that wasn't a yes or no question, smartie!' I smiled weakly. This was unbelievable! He was a dog! How could he...never mind. Compared to what I've been through before, this actually isn't that strange I suppose. I tried again. "So...am I cured?"

__

tap

My heart leapt, barely able to contain my exitement. "You had something to do with the virus, didn't you?" He didn't look too happy about it as he tapped once. "Can you take me to the place?"

__

tap tap

I was immediately crestfallen. My reaction must've hurt his feelings, for he hung his head in a human-like gesture. I ruffled his ears affectionetly. "Do you know who can?"

Before he could remind me in his doggy way that this was an open-ended question, a scream of a zombie filled the air followed immediately by the blast of an assault rifle. Immediately my nerves were on edge. He was here! But how! The low rumble of the LAV in the background, I heard him shouting "Rintintin! Here boy!" he let out a piercing whistle and started calling again.

Rintintin looked towards the sound, then at me, a look of blatant amusement painted on his doggy face. I grinned back at him. "The prey came to us, boy! Now let's go!" Still a bit weak and wobbly on my feet I nonetheless managed to make my way across the dirty floor of the abandoned house to peer out the cracked window. Dickerson walked the street, his rifle sitting easily in his hands and a lifeless zombie rotting behind him as a statement of his expertise with it. Though I noticed with satisfaction that he was sporting a black eye, I still searched fervently for a sign of April but to no avail. She wasn't there.

A familiar rage heated my veins. She better be safe. "Where's April, boy?" I whispered to the canine. He looked at the idling LAV in the distance then back at me as an answer to my question. I nodded. Well, she can't be waiting in one of the three front seats, otherwise she'd probably hijack the thing. Most likely, he locked her in the back with all the supplies. Locked her up, like a prisoner...

Well, positions could be changed.

Surprised at my own spontanaeaty, I was moving before I realized it. Stealthily, I slipped out the door, practically going the whole way on all fours because of the low cover. Though I was hardly aware, all my attention completely focused on the specially trained marine holding an assault rifle, I made no unnessesary movement or sound. All my moves were fluid and worked kinesthetically towards my goal. Ironically I inched behind the overturned truck that I crashed last night, peering out at him around the bumper. I watched his movement, saw his steps, looked as he took a moment to stop and rub his face with a hand, completely covering his face in doing so. I moved. Almost gliding across the ten yard space I was upon him before he even lifted his hand. Grasping his assault rifle firmly I yanked it out of his unsuspecting hands with such force that he staggered in shock.

Looking at me in complete surprise, his face visibly paled before it took on a fierce, scowling expression as he reached for his pistol. "Why you little fuc-" He didn't say another word as I slammed the butt of his rifle right into his nose. His head whipped back and droplets of blood flew in the air. With as much grace as a looney toon character he hit the pavement.

Rintintin padded beside me and after sniffing Dickerson, looked up at me with his tail wagging slightly. I grinned at him. "This might be evil of me to say, but that sure felt good."

* * *

A/N: You can thank urging from Damgel for that nose hit to Dickerson. Please leave me your reviews and let me know what you think. They are always the greatest motivator!

Toodles!


	18. Hate and Hope

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

A/N: I know that this has been a long time coming, but I got stuck in a rutt so far as Raph and Mikey are concerned! My finals are over, parties are over, final reports are turned in and work at the clinic is finally slowing down, so I am struck with the writing bug! Kind of shooting out the chapter as I write it, hope it still turns out alright. Special thanks to Pretender Fanatic and Raphfreak for help! Raph POV

Chapter18

Hate and Hope

Travel is hell. I don't care how many romantic songs there are out there about the glories and adventures of being on the road, I don't care how many tourists and RV's proclaim the best times on the spread of asphalt, travel is hell. Your ass gets numb, you get restless, and you get tired from staring at the friggin road the entire time. The people are insane, they try to entertain themselves by playing stupid road games like 'I spy' and such. I swear I almost purposely crashed the thing just to make them stop. Mikey, getting on this 'cute' little stint of asking me 'are we there yet' so many times that I literally did hit him didn't help either. It helps me realize that it isn't a coincidence that the greatest amount of deaths per year occur on the road. It also isn't a coincidence that in a horror movie people either meet their death traveling down a desolate stretch of highway or at least meet the cause of their horror for the remainder of the movie. Hell, even in an action movie in a vehicle on the road is not a safe place to be. All I know is that it is incredibly boring, with the most entertaining part is getting to run over the occaisional wayward zombie. Even that tends to get old after a while.

The only good thing about this travel is that it is finally freaking over! At least for now, I guess. I watched from the porch as the people scrambled the supplies into the ramshackle farmhouse. Simon stood beside me, saying something that I wasn't really listening to. My ears were becoming numb to all of this talk. I simply stared at the going-ons silent with my arms tightly crossed, hoping that someone would do something stupid so I'd have someone to yell at.

Mikey is not allowing a single attractive girl to carry anything, taking the items from their hands with a flow of flowery, gallant words and phrases that makes them do that ear-grating giggle and blush. I honestly can't tell whether they're interested, or simply indulging him but either way they are obviously flattered and are basking under his attention while he gets a similar reaction from them. Everyone else is pitching in pretty equally, the ones who had the diahrrea even seemed to be walking better, not quite so tight-cheeked.

I smiled at the thought, wondering what could have possessed them to decide to stick with me and do their business in buckets on a moving bus. I shook my head. I just didn't get it. Venting to Mikey in the store the other day had helped, but I still didn't get it. What was so appealing about a hot tempered giant green turtle amongst humans?

Finally I noticed that Simon had stopped talking and was now smiling at me in that fatherly, all-knowing way that he had. Glaring at the huge black man, I said "what are you smiling about?"

With a deep throated laugh he shook his head and said "Nothing, Raphael. Asolutely nothing." and walked away, surprisingly silent for such a big man.

Perplexed, I stared after the reverend, deciding then and there that I'd never be able to get used to people.

TMNTTMTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT

I kicked the blankets off, the sound of many snoring noses resonating in my ears. Never had I ever imagined Casey's farmhouse to be so...un-peaceful! Even when those purple dragon goons were here, it was still more tolerable. I shifted off the cot, glaring around the room. Perhaps because of our imagined 'position' in the group me, Mikey, Simon, Veronica and Marianna had gotten one of the small bedrooms to ourselves. We actually had our own space, unlike pretty much everyone else who utilized every inch of floor, bed, table, couch, chair, even counter space. Anticipating the stench of so many warm bodies packed like sardines in a drafty old house I had made sure that everybody got a haphazard bath, or at least enough water to wash out their pits, hair and groin (not particularly in that order). I was thanked by only a slight rank smell even as I woke up now.

Grumbling, I looked at the battery powered clock on the wall. 1:30. I've only been asleep for 90 minutes. Great. Just friggin great! I looked at the cot and considered going back to sleep, but my body didn't seem to agree. My eyes were wide awake, my limbs not the least bit lethargic, and I was feeling restless. Stretching slightly I still looked again at the cot longingly despite my hasty decision, knowing that we would have a long drive ahead tomorrow, then let my gaze travel about the room. Then I realized that something was missing...sure enough my brother was nowhere to be seen. That was more than enough reason to forgoe the cot, that knuckleheaded brother of mine knows better than to wander off. Throwing down my blanked in frustrated defeat, I touched my feet to the floor and silently padded to the door, thinking of the vicious punishment that would befall Mikey to amuse myself.

I had to do some fancy footwork to avoid stepping on anyone, the hallway was so packed with sleeping, snoring bodies. Making my way down the stairs, thankful that no one decided to use THAT as a place of slumber at least, I sidestepped bodies across the living room until I finally made it outside. Standing on the porch, I breathed in the night country air. It felt so good to feel this free, nothing but air all around you...then a snort from inside brought me back. Wrinkling my nose, I looked back into the house at my many burdens. Luckily, since no one wanted to sleep anyplace that was easily accessible to zombies, the porch was free of sleepers. Walking the lenght of it, I looked about, not seeing Mikey anywhere.

Not that I was too worried. As empty headed as he was, he could still take care of himself in a bind. At least most times he could... With that in mind I stepped into the grass, where something made me head to the van once more, relishing the silence as I went. In the passenger seat, we had some type of communicative radio, don't know whether it's CB or some other stupid acronym, but we found it in the basement yet thus far hadn't been able to communicate with anyone. Sidling in the seat, keeping an eye out for a large turtle who would likely come slinking back from some botched escapade with his tail between his legs, I hoisted the radio onto my lap and inspected it once more.

Though I wasn't the best with electronics, I was the best next to Donny. Mostly it was from helping Casey with handyman stuff and doing my own alterations and repairs on my bike which made me nowhere near the best on the subject, but it turned out that I was the most experienced in the entire group here. Trust my turtle luck that I didn't rescue a electrician or mechanic or something. In any case, I recognized most parts of it, at least from what I'd seen on tv. The dial, the reading, the speaker, and of course the handheld portion. The entire thing was rather light, about the size of a VCR and looked newer than what I thought one would look like. Flipping it on, I tested the dial once more, searching for a signal. As with all the other times, I got nothing but squeals and static.

So intent was I listening to the dial that I started when the door to the farmhouse slammed open. Angry at myself for being surprised, I glared at the ursurper. Recognizing the gangly gait almost immediately, I steeled myself. Jimmy ran into the grass, looked around a few times, and not seeing me hissed "Mr. Raphael! MR. RAPHAEL!"

Grumbling, I automatically hoisted the radio in my arm as I hopped out of the van. Feet stepping softly on the grass, I walked up right beside him and couldn't help but smile as he jumped out of his skin when he saw me. "Geesh! I LOVE it when you do that!" He transfixed me with an unsteady smile and uncomfortably adoring eyes. I raised my eyeridges, my face impassive. He looked at me for a second before a completely different expression washed over his face. "Oh, Mr. Raphael, I was-"

"Don't call me that, kid!"

"Making rounds like you told me to-"

"I was joking, idiot! We already have watches set."

"When I realized that no one was on watch and-"

The correction that was about to spew from my mouth stopped immediately as I stared at him in disbelief. "You what?"

He nodded eagerly. "Yeah. But I remembered who you set for that watch, so I found him!"

"Where was he?"

"Asleep. But-"

"What! Asleep!" My fists tightened. The watches were important! If people shirked that duty then the entire group could be put in danger! Irresponsible humans! They didn't know what duty was! When I catch him...

"Wait!"

I glanced at him. He was obviously reading my expression. Glaring at him, I said "What? Hurry up, spit it out. I've got a head to pound."

Looking at me in slight exasperation, he continued. "I woke him up to ask him and he said that he traded watch." My expression quizzical, Jim managed to answer before I could speak. "He traded with my Dad. Only my Dad's gone. And there's a rifle missing from the armory." He looked at me with tears threatening in his eyes. "I have no idea where he could've gone."

I froze. His father? I could intimately remember the gun-toting loser who threatened to shoot Mikey and I after we had escaped from the Battle Shell. Even though he chose to continue with us, I never fully trusted him, especially after learning that he knocked around his son Jim like a sack of potatoes. Then suddenly my mind flashed the connection. A missing 'dear old dad' with a gun and a turtle brother? All too clearly my imagination cruelly gave me the image of Mikey with a bullet in his brain. Normally he wouldn't let that happen, but if he was tricked using underhanded ways...

Shoving the radio into Jim's arms without a word I sprinted to the porch, heart thudding in my chest, looking for some telltale sign of Mikey's presence. There was no reason for him to cover his tracks. Unfortunately it recently rained and the grass left no foot impressions. Despair hitting me slightly, I surveyed the woods all around. He could be anywhere. Briefly I considered calling out, but not only would that alert John and put him on the alert, it might also alert some undead relatives that I don't know we have. Man, when I get hold of that loser creep asshole, I'll hit him so hard... Grinding my teeth in frustration, I backed up, slapping my hands on my head.

Then it hit me.

Literally, it hit me. I nearly gagged. It was that putrid, inhuman, poisonous, choking, girly perfume that Mikey's loving admirers wore. But faint. Fortunately, a turtle has a very good sense of smell. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to inhale, walking forward silently to follow the smell.

Fingering my sai with both hands I walked straight into the woods. Scanning my surroundings, I soon began to see the signs that I was looking for earlier in the bush. I would bet my life that Mikey didn't make the tracks, broken twig here, green fallen leaves here, scratch on the bark there...it was Kerrigan for sure. My pace quickened as I followed the trail, nostrils flaring and eyes narrowing in anger. First I'd get John, then slap Mikey for doing something this stupid.

"Hello?"

My stride lengthened to a gallop at the sound of Mikey's voice in the distance. I was closing in on him swiftly.

"Stephanie? You there?"

I heard the telltale click and immediately knew what was coming. I leapt out of the bush, leaves erupting around me, into a small clearing surrounding a pond...Mikey standing dumbly beside it. He froze at the sound of the click, momentarily confused, yet his eyes widened in shock as the explosion of the rifle echoed through the air.

It was about that time that I smacked into Mikey solidly, my shoulders impacting his chest with a force to knock him off his feet. Even as we flew through the air I could feel the pain bite at my thigh. We landed in the edge of the pond, which turned out to be deeper than it looked. Momentarily entangled with Mikey, I fought to free my limbs, knowing that a crazy man with a gun was approaching. With much splashing I got to my feet, only to see John pointing the barrell of the gun straight at my face from a dozen yards away.

Water dripping from me, I heard Mikey get to his feet beside me, silent for once. I stared at that gun barrell, then switched my gaze to John's eyes, pouring hatred into the beady little pupils. He snarled at me in a sloppy, disgusting way. "You, you freaks! You think you can order us around, do ya? Well, now I got you both here and I'm in the position of power now, ain't I? What you got to say about that, freaks?"

I didn't say a word, I simply fixed him with a deep, predatory gaze, my lip rising slightly in an animalistic snarl. Mikey was silent beside me. In my mind I was working through all the possibilities. He was much too far to try what I did last time. Even if I did charge him, his bullet hit me pretty solidly in the leg...plus he might hit Mikey...

Obviously he wasn't expecting that sort of reaction. Blustering, he said "you think you're better than me?" I said nothing. His face mottled purple with rage as he spit "Do you, freak? I'll show you superior species!" He recocked the gun. "I'll show you!"

"Dad no!"

He swung towards the sound, the rifle barrel now pointing at his son Jim. Recognition in his eyes, his fingers still tightened reflexively on the trigger.

_whump!_

His face slowly melted away into shock as he looked down and stared at the steel prong jutting from his chest. Staggering, he fingered the sharp tip a bit, looked at his son as blood oozed from his mouth and his shirt slowly stained crimson, then looked at me with an expression of pure disbelief before he toppled to the ground, my sai handle protruding from his back like a chef's fork.

"Superior species my ass." I muttered to myself until I saw Jim's expression. The satisfaction slowly ebbed out as I took a step towards him. "Jim, I-"

He shook his head violently. "No, Sir. It's okay." I looked at him, somewhat surprised yet appraising as he continued. "He wasn't a good guy anyway. He hit me sometimes, and besides that..." He looked at me through angry, tear soaked eyes. "He killed mom. Fed her to the zombies to save himself. He deserves to die."

I nodded slowly, agreeing yet slightly uncomfortable. Then, father completely ignored his face lit up in anguish as he looked at me further. "Mr. Raphael! You're hurt?"

I looked down at my leg, remembering the bulled wound again and grinned. Then I heard Mikey shift behind me and suddenly, with years of practice behind me, smacked him solidly on the back of the head. He jerked, stood up straight, reaching for his head. "OW! What was that for? I just-" I smacked him again, surprising him to the point that his jaws clipped together. This time leaping away from me, holding his head and staring at me with a hurt expression, he whined "Raaaaaaaaaph!"

"What the hell were you doing out here, you lunkhead! You almost got both of us killed!" I berated as Jim rushed to me, half embracing me and half fussing over my leg.

"What? I just-" he held up a dripping note written on pink paper with flowery writing.

"Honestly, Mikey! Where's your sense of responsibility? We were sleeping in the same room! The least you could've done is woke me up and let me know were you were going! What were you thinking!"

"But...but...I was tricked! I-"

"I don't want to hear your buts. No excuses tonight. You're lucky I don't make you do 50 flips for this little stunt, I'll tell you that much! What if there were zombies? What if you'dve gotten hurt?" I ranted, blood boiling in my veins. I couldn't believe him! Though I wouldn't admit as much, he had me worried sick!

Mikey looked at me, smiling. I glared at him anew, fists clenched. "What's so funny now?" I snarled at him.

"You know who you reminded me of just then? Leo. You were acting just like Leo."

Something in my head popped and I charged at him with Jim clutched to my shell, berating me for aggravating my leg wound. Mikey giggled ecstatically, prancing out of my way in his characteristic high-energy style. Getting a little bit of grin to play to my lips as well, I hoisted Jim piggy-back on my shell and chased him in earnest as he sprinted and giggled around the pond.

_*static*static* Hello? Is anybody *static* out there? *static*_

I froze at the sound of the voice, surprising Mikey to the point that he made the circuit around the pond and crashed into me unknowlingly, sending us all to the ground. "What is it, Raph? Is it-" I put my finger to his lips and pointed at the radio, the same one I shoved in Jim's hands and he dropped just a few yards from us.

_Well, if anybody can hear me *static* are alive and well, _

_*static* shut up! No one's going to hear this shi-*static*_

Mikey, also transfixed, scrambled to the radio with me while Jim, though excited, couldn't share in our recognition even with the bits of static interrupting the words. We knew that voice.

_Again, *static* anyone can hear me we are heading *static* to Eden Valley, in New york *static* we hope to see fellow survivors soon. This is *static* over and out. _

"You hear that Raph?" Mikey whispered, tears starting to brim to his eyes.

I smiled and clapped my hand on his shoulder. "Sure do brother. We're leaving"

Jim looked at us, confused. "What? I thought we were safe here."

I looked at him. "We might be, but we'll be even safer with our brother Donatello with us. We're headed to Eden Valley."

* * *

A/N: And they're off! Let me know how you guys still enjoyed it, hopefully I haven't lost any readers considering the long time I took to update. Let me know what you think, remember that I love ramblers.

Toodles!


	19. Healing and Dealing

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated this, I hope that I haven't lost too many readers with the delay. Special thanks to Raphfreak for helping me to hammer out the details. Well, I'm picking up again with Leo and the kids, there's going to be quite a bit of fluff but I hope you enjoy the read!

Chapter 19

Healing and Dealing

The sun was merciless. The fact that I had scorched skin didn't make it feel any better. I scooted under the canvas balcony, looking out at the coast as the boat slowly moved along. Still everything was blown to bits. These cities didn't seem to be hit has hard as New York, but it was obvious that the military had been by here as well. I closed my eyes, letting the slow up and down movements of the boat sooth me as much as I would let it. But still I felt stiff, uneasy, it was as if it were impossible for me to be at rest.

Tiny hands slapped my arm in a hurried embrace. I winced at the sensation, my skin protesting under the light blows, but showed no other sign of it. Opening my eyes I looked down at Sarah, the tiny girl who had made me her unofficial guardian. She was the one that I had managed to save from the pediphile two nights ago, and even though in my eyes she had underwent more than any child should have to go through. I looked down at her. Her big brown eyes stared right back up at me as she wrapped her skinny arms around me and whimpered. Sighing, I picked her up and placed her on my lap, where she promptly settled down and started sucking her thumb on my shoulder with her dark brown hair gently laying against my plastron. She was wearing an old T-shirt. I couldn't stand to look at her in the bloodied dress and through the suggestion and some help from Mark we got it on her with a hair tie closing the oversized neck in a bunch at the back.

Thinking along that track, I looked at the door to the cabin. It was tightly shut. If a lock was functioning on the door it likely would've been locked too. There Mark and the other two children were hiding from me. Every once in a while I would see one of them peek at me through the curtains in the windows, but as soon as they became aware of my stare they darted back into their cove.

I had ascertained their ages as Mark, 9ish, Sarah, 6ish and the two blond twins about 4. Other than that, I saw and got very little from them. I didn't mind too much, I wouldn't know what to do anyway. What do you do with children that were brutally, repeatedly attacked by cruel pediphiles? In a way I was thankful that they weren't begging for constant attention, because I don't think I would know how to handle it properly. But just sitting here and not doing anything was completely against my nature. I needed to do...something...anything...I couldn't just sit here and let them stew alone in there. Children needed guidance, right?

BUt I didn't want to make another unneccesary venture in there, last time I did they dissappeared like frightened mice, I could hardly tell where they were. I smirked to myself at the memory. They'd make good ninjas. In any case, I could picture if I tried to do something 'helpful' by force. It would likely do more harm then good.

As I sat there on the slowly rocking boat, with a small girl in my lap next to a closed door I could feel the lump grow in my throat. What would Master Splinter do? The image of my father, hide cut open by my sword and bleeding in my arms suddenly flashed behind my closed eyelids. Immediately I opened my eyes to the slow sunset as the image played havoc with my mind. I breathed in a shuddering breath, trying painfully to swallow down that lump in my throat.

Even as I heard the tiny thumping sounds from behind the door, I just started to talk. I don't know what started it, it just started to flow out of my lips, unheeded and uninhibited. At first it was for me, for my lost family, for my slain father, for my own lost soul...what was I to do? But slowly, I was aware of the door opening slightly and tiny ears on the other side listening intently. Not wanting to frighten them away again, I continued without acknowledging them, just speaking my words to the slowly setting sun as the light danced across the waves. I told them of my family, my hotheaded brother; a warrior, a friend, a brother. Someone that you could more than count on to back you up in a fight, who wouldn't hesitate to use his last breath to defend you, yet wouldn't think twice of punching you in anger. Yet someone full of sometimes secret kindness, gentleness, and determination. I told them of our comedic relief, our athlete, who could diffuse tension in an instant with a seemingly spontaneous action or comment, make that chip on your shoulder wear away. He was a constant reminder that there were reasons to be happy, to be content with your lot in life, to take things as they go as best you can and learn to enjoy every bit of it. Yet despite his silliness he would stay with you to the end. I told them of our science geek, always fascinated with things he doesn't know, wanting to know how things work, wanting to learn, explore and discover. He was an inventor, always thinking of things to make our lives a little easier, sometimes making himself scarce around the family scene with his tinkering, he was always there with something to help us, to save us, fix our wounds, fix our toys, or simply to get us free cable.

My voice choked a bit when I described how I missed every single one of them, how I was supposed to care about them, how I was supposed to be there for them, yet here I was separated without knowing if they were even alive or not. How I yearned to be with them again, how I ached to touch their faces, tell them that I would never leave them again, how they could always count on me.

Or at least they were supposed to.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the door open wider, though I couldn't see sign of the children. Looking out to the rapidly descending sun, the clear night slowly taking over the sky, I finally told them about my father.

I told them how he raised us, his kindness, his discipline, his fortitude, his honor. He had protected us, nurtured us, comforted us, and loved us deeper than anything in this world could fathom. I intricately described all of his quirks, all of his motions, habits, and actions. How he could embrace with more warmth than anything that I'd known, yet be properly strict when teaching us the dedication, honor and skills of bushido. I described every whisker, every hair, every touch, his fondness for tea and soap operas, the smell of his favorite incense, how he enjoyed coercing us into morning conversations, everything that I could remember.

I began to tell about the last time I saw him, but I couldn't continue, the thougth of him in pain, of his behavior because of the disease...how I had to end his life... I didn't realize that I was crying until another set of small hands gently touched my arm. I looked down, saw Mark standing solemn and silent with his hands calmly on my arm with the other two children, staring at me with wet eyes. Those eyes, they were too mature for their age, too knowing. Just by looking at them I could tell that they knew why I couldn't go on. With their own tears, they silently whispered the names of their parents and suddenly they crowded around me.

Tears flew freely from all of our eyes. Their skinny arms clutched my torsoe as though they thought I would be swept away, and I embraced them as I would have my own brothers, crushing them lightly to my chest as I wept for my father and they wet my plastron with the memories of their parents.

Perhaps it was the gentle lulling of the boat, or the sheer exhaustion of our emotions spilling out in such a torrent, but slowly we drifted to sleep under the bright night sky.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of the waves gently lapping against the hull of the boat. I looked down at the three children piled around me and quirked a slight smile.

Until I counted them again.

Didn't I have 4?

Somewhat startled, I looked up to see Mark sitting at the bow of the boat, looking out into the night. Without turning around and acknowledging me he said. "I had a dream about him, I think."

I looked at him quizzically? "Who, Mark?" I said softly so as not to disturb the kids.

He looked at me with his wide, haunting eyes. Without a single facial expression he told me "Your father, Splinter."

My body started so suddenly that several of the children had to shift in their sleep to keep from sliding off me. Moving nimbly, I slowly eased the children off me and onto the padded boat chair with the blanked and hurried over to Mark. Sitting next to him, I looked straight at him and whispered "Are you sure?"

Already looking back out to the waves, he furrowed his brow slightly. "Yeah, he was a big rat in a robe...he had a gentle voice." Turning and setting his wide eyes on me once more he reached out and hesitantly touched my bandana. "He showed me someone like you...only purple..."

It took all I had to resist reaching out and grabbing him. "Are you sure? Don? Is he alive? Where is he? Can I see him?" I could see the look in his eyes as his body slowly tensed up, clearly being overwhelmed by my reaction. Struggling to calm myself, I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, holding it for ten seconds at it's peak before letting it go. When I opened my eyes back open he didn't look as tense, but was clearly on his guard. Settling down into a more relaxed position, I forced myself to be at ease, or at least seem that way. We sat there silent for a moment before I spoke again. "Could you please tell me about the dream, Mark? I think that it might be important."

He stared at me another moment longer, testing my will it seemed, before he continued. "He was giving me hot soup, it was yummy. And we watched TV together, he said it was important. Then I saw your purple brother, he was in the TV. He said he was in Eden. Splinter gave me a snack and said that you should know, that it would help everyone. Then I woke up." His huge brown eyes never left mine.

It took a little bit to absorb the information and to accept it. At first it was instant joy. Surely this must mean that they were still alive! Why else would a message be sent? Leaping up, startling Mark once more to defense mode, I hurried to the cabin and immedietly began shuffling through cabinets and drawers. Finally I found what I wanted, a map. Swiftly unfolding it I looked in the key and searched for the city that I had never heard of, hoping that it actually existed. Then I saw it, Eden, right off the Great Lakes. Looking at the distance between New York and the town, I guestimated about a day's drive, that is of course assuming that we have a clear way. Which is unlikely. Especially with four kids in their current state. Quickly I scanned the waterways. There were small tributaries that would lead about halfway before they ran out, it might be a bit slower but it would be safer for the children.

My heart pumping at the thought of seeing my family, of the very possibility that they could still be alive...I just couldn't believe it. I didn't realize until then that I had nearly given up hope of ever seeing them again. Snatching up a marker I quickly started plotting a course, my mind alive with the possibilities.

Even as the marker traced the projected path ensuring both ultimate safety and expediency, I looked out out to the waves once more, a smile alighted on my face.

"Don't worry guys, I'm coming. I'm coming."

* * *

A/N: I know, fluff fluff fluff. At least everyone is starting to get back together, right? But good news for you guys who wanted to know about Donny is that he's next! Please submit your thoughts, wishes, wants and whatnots in the form of reviews and it would be greatly appreciated!

Also for anyone who's interested the last chapter of my Mikey story is in the works, plus I have a Don centered story cooking in my head threatening to explode, though unfortunately I'm not going to be too nice to him...yeah, another horror/angst thing...

Toodles!


	20. The Lab

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

A/N: Hello y'all! Hopefully not too many people have abandoned me these past few months. I've literally been through hell but I'm still kicking. Some things I've learned is that being pregnant, having a toddler and a deployed hubby are not easy, my college professors are psychotic, my petty officers at work have sticks a bit too far up their rear ends, the weather in this state is completely insane in the summer, and when you finally get AC working in your house life is better. Very educational.

You can personally thank Raphfreak for nagging me on getting this updated and Damgel for giving me a couple of superb rambles that helped inspire me again after getting dragged through mud. This is Don POV, if you need to read the other Don chapters to catch up that's fine because I know that I did after all this time!

Chapter 20

The Lab

The LAV rumbled steadily forward at around 70mph with a fresh tank of gas. April dozed above me despite the nearly earsplitting noise and vibration that the engine generated. I grinned up at her even as Rintintin let a dallop of drool hit my head. Whiping it off I elbowed him in the chest playfully. He responded with a slobbery lick to the cheek. Grabbing a napkin and wiping off the slobber I again looked at the haphazard map that Dickerson drew us. He seemed to know of his own possible fate, and perhaps of my own temptation to leave him behind like he did to me. So he wouldn't give me all the information he knew. I thought about trying to 'make' him talk, but not only am I not the most adept at those, uh, 'techniques' (I probably couldn't stomach it in any case) but I figured that as a marine he probably got trained in that sort of stuff anyway. All he gave me was this map to the destination.

The map, though simply drawn, was very precise and to the point. It was a lab in Eden, one that wasn't a lab to the outside. That brought forth more questions from me. Why was it a secret? Was it government run? Military? But he was tightlipped. I couldn't get it out of him. He simply glared at me. I took some small, childish sort of satisfaction in not saying a word about how I escaped becoming a zombie, since I could tell from the second that he woke up that it was definetly on the forefront of his mind.

That was the other thing, April nearly freaked. Not that I could blame her, since in her eyes I basically came back from certain death. When I stopped to count, I had been bitten a total of 8 times, that I could clearly see at least. Yet it had been over 24 hours, and April knew from experience with Casey that the conversion happened before that. Yet my mental faculties were perfectly intact. After I hogtied Dickerson and put him in the storage where he had her locked up I sat down and explained everything to her, going into detail from the moment they left me to present. She had listened with rapt attention, her focus more clear than it had been in a long time. I was happy to see evidence that her scientific mind was beginning to charge up once more, she even expressed the same wish I had for something to test his blood with. She was nearly out of her little funk over Casey and all, but she still hadn't mentioned the last night we were together...

She asked questions where it was appropriate, was clearly fascinated with my story, and when I was done simply looked at Rintintin in awe. Of course she had to affirm it by asking him a few questions herself, which left her as floored as it did me when I did it. Rintintin seemed to think that the whole thing was amusing, though was clearly ready to move along. Once I showed him the map and asked him about the destination, I was surprised that he wanted to go the same place as I did. When I questioned him further, I found out that it was the place where it started with him, where he became the way he was. I was glad that he had changed his mind about showing us where everything began, where it took place...but I couldn't help but be apprehensive about what it was that I would find. After all, in the past secret labs had never equaled a pleasant evening. But then, at the same time, I was fascinated with what I would find, what kind of lab it was, the things that I could learn from it about what was going on. Just knowing how Rintintin came to be the way that he is, or how the whole zombie virus came out, how it attacks the system, what it goes after first, maybe even seeing slides showing the side effects on the cells...that alone would have spurred me on if nothing else did.

With everything that had happened, how hectic everything had been I was surprised to find out how close we actually were to the place once I had charted it on the map. It would only be a few hours drive.

I glanced at the map again. Rintintin panted a doggie snicker beside me. I looked at him with an annoyed look. He knew I was getting antsy, we were nearly there after all. But I couldn't help but notice that despite his playful, calm demeanor that he was anything but. Shifting from one foot to the other constantly, checking the air every few minutes with his inquisitive nose, and obviously swallowing a shallow whimper or two he was definetly in no way looking forward to our arrival. Though I wondered what must have happened there to make him feel like this, I didn't say a word about it. I had a feeling that although Dickerson knew a lot more than I did, he still didn't know it all. So I was willing to bet my bostaff that Rintintin would be the one to fill in the blanks. I knew that he didn't really want to come here to begin with, so I didn't want to test his resolve to show us anyway with a million questions, no matter how much I wanted to ask them.

Yet when we finally pulled up to a nondescript looking building with an aged sign in front advertising itself as a 'box factory', I still needed to collect a deep breath before allowing the vehicle to rumble to a halt. Looking out the small periscope-style window, I saw that the relatively small town was currently free of visible zombies.

Once I killed the power April stirred and shifted, strangely waking up purely from the sudden lack of noise and vibration. When her eyes met mine she smiled warmly and after I gave her an 'all clear' thumbs up, she opened the hatch above her and crawled out. Rintintin quickly followed her, his nails scraping the metal all over the place. Grinning nervously to myself I followed them.

The bright sunlight assaulted all of us. Squinting, I flexed my toes on the hot pavement and reluctantly made my way to the back of the LAV. Opening the heavy door, it swung open to reveal a pissed off Dickerson. He gave me a snarling expression, his eyes boring into mine with pure hatred. "You just wait till I get a hold of you, you green booger! I'll hit your shelled ass so hard tha-" I slammed the door back on his face and looked at the metal with a tired expression. How can he be such a...well, I guess I've said it enough. Even though I knew that the metal was too thick for it, I could've sworn that I heard him cursing on the other side.

I saw April peering at me from the side of the LAV with a nervous smile on her face. I smiled back, somehow glad that she wasn't as thrilled with the prospect of storming into a strange lab either. "You know we have to take him with us, Don." I sighed and gave her a pained expression. Her smile relaxed. "I don't like him either, but...well, we won't know what we'll face in there, an extra set of arms for defense would probably help. His mission was to bring Rintintin here, so we know he has stake in it too, so maybe if we're civil..." I groaned "...even if he doesn't return the sentiment, he'll still work with us." Despite how much I despised being around him, after all half the time he treated me like a big green dog. But that pesky side of reason that I had interjected and helped me see that she had a point.

Opening the hatch again, he snarled at me, and called me a name that I didn't like but don't want to repeat. I slammed it in his face once more. April grimaced at me and rolled her eyes, wagging her finger at me. I managed a forced grin before I opened it agian. This time he was simply glaring at me with a look that was filled with so much anger that I'd have been startled if I wasn't already conditioned to it by Raph. Doing a mocking bow, I extended my arm, indicating wordlessly that he was free to step out. His eyes never leaving mine, he did so. I stared back at him as April walked behind him to undo his bindings. Dickerson, not exactly a 'model' looking man before looked worse after meeting with the butt of a rifle. I was actually kinda proud that I made his nose more purple and swollen than he did April's when he did the same to her. "Listen, Dickerson," I said in a calm, even voice as his arms finally came free. I was surprised to find that I had to control the anger in my voice. Man, I have never not liked someone like him before! "We're here, and we're going to let you come in with us...but don't try anything. I'll be watching you."

Snorting, he spat out a wad of sputum between my feet before noisily wiping a bit of dried blood from his nose with the back of his hand. He shot me a lopsided grin that didn't reach his eyes. I could tell that he was assessing me. "Yeah, whatever greenie. But don't expect me to set one foot in there or say another word without my rifle. It's not like you can operate one decently anyway. And the mutt stays with me." His eyes assessed April; my hackles raised. "At least it looks like she's going to be of some use to us now instead of just being dead weight like before." His eyes rounded back to me. As though he hadn't been threatened in the slightest and he was still in complete control he simply brushed past me and looked at the building, rocking back on his heels. "Man, this place looks like a piece of shit." Hopping easily onto the LAV he reached through the hatch and grabbed a rifle without a single glance at us. "Hope y'all aren't going to stand there like a couple of rocks all day now, we need to get going. I'd rather have the place scoped before dark, unless you like playing hide and seek with zombies, that is."

I stared at him, wondering how it was that I had let him do that, then I shrugged it off. At least he was playing it cool for now. Besides, I would be the first to admit that I don't like to start things, I'd rather see how long we can go on peacefully and take action when need be. Closing the hatch, I secured it as April grabbed the remaining weapons and handed them out. That being done we headed towards the building, Rintintin trudging along behind us.

Dickerson already had the lock off the metal gate, and I was surprised to see a key flash in his hand before he quickly pocketed it. April and I looked at each other with looks of surprise and wariness. I had suspected something different about this 'mission' that he was on, but I knew enough about marines that they didn't normally enlist corporals without any formal specialty training for single missions. This had to be a more of someone asking him specifically, one on one...whatever it was it didn't help the uneasy feeling that was in my stomach.

He shot a look past at us, warily assessing us through narrowed eyes before stepping through the gate. We followed, though I had to stop and offer some gentle encouragement to Rintintin to get him to do the same.

Slowly we followed him in the yard. As he produced another key to the front door he shot us a look as though daring us to say a word. I simply shrugged and bit my tongue from firing a retort. April looked at me surprised then rolled her eyes. I grinned back at her, realizing that I had likely changed from the kind of turtle I was before all of this happened.

My thoughts got interrupted as the old metal door creaked open revealing a small, dingy entryway hallway with another door at the end. This one was locked as well, but again Dickerson produced a key. Once this slightly rusted door opened it revealed a whole new kind of space.

Pristine walls shone with light colored speckled tile. A similar tile though with a darker shade lined the floor. A check in desk made of highly polished solid wood and stainless steel stretched through about a third of the vast room and was flanked on both sides with smoothly sloping staircases that headed both up and down. A pair of stainless steel elevators were on two of the walls. It reminded me of what a rich hospital would look like, except for the unfamiliar emblem in the center of the floor.

A slight scratching noise brought all of us on alert. Immediately we headed towards the sound, which was now coupled with a low moaning animalistic sound; zombie. We smelled it long before we saw it, but its appearance astounded me. It was completely intact, no wounds save for a bite wound on the forearm, likely the site of infection. What surprised me was the advanced stage of decomposition. In other words, it was the oldest zombie that I had ever seen. The flesh was so far into decomposition that there was a thick, wide blackish trail leading down the stairs that it had managed to crawl up thus far. The flesh was practically falling off even as we looked at it, its eyes were so sunken in that at first glance it simply looked as though it has empty sockets; even then the eyes themselves had decomposed to the point that they were hardly recognizable. Half of his fingers and everything along his belly was scraped to the bare bone from crawling up the stairs, the rotted flesh coming off easily. The two boots that the thing wore were squishing noxious bodily fluids out of it and swishing around what was likely a foot bared to the bone and the scalp was so thin that the surface of the skull was easily visible. All in all, it was so far into the stage of decomposition that, while still animated, it was having trouble do any function at all with muscle deterioration to that extent and nerve function nearly dead.

It was such an abrupt shock to all of us that at first we didn't move or say a thing, we simply stared at the pathetic thing strugging to get up but finding itself nearly unable to do anything at this point but flop around. Dickerson moved his rifle barrell and pressed the tip against the skull. After putting on the slightest bit of pressure it slid up and off the skull as though it were greased, leaving a trail of clear bone behind. "Yeck." He made a face, scraping it againt the wall.

April leaned forward, staring at it. "It's at such an advanced stage, it hardly has the motor function to move at all." The zombie simply gaped its mouth at her, craning its neck so slowly that it almost seemed like slow motion. "This poor guy, he must've been-"

"-One of the first ones infected." I finished for her. We simply stared at each other then back at the zombie, both intimately aware that we were likely at the true ground zero, where everything, where all of this likely first began.

"Well, first one or not, let's blow this f#ker." Dickerson swung his rifle over, pointing it at its head.

"I wouldn't do that." April muttered, stepping back. I follower her.

He looked at us, scowling. "What? Why the hell not?"

I cleared my throat. "He's so far into decomposition his internal flesh might be the consistency of yogurt. You shoot him and it'll splatter everywhere, since we don't know quite yet the minimum required for infection, whether it needs to be a bite or simply biological matter in a cut, your nostril, mouth, or eye; at least let us get out of the way before you infect all of us." With that April, Rintintin and I both made our way across the room to the second set of downward staircases. Finding them zombie free, we preceeded down without looking back. After hearing a loud curse we heard his boots clomping after us with no blast of rifle fire.

We preceeded down the staircase and saw what looked like a warzone. Though nearly nothing was broken, it was covered with clumps of rotted flesh and old, blackish blood splatters. The smell was strong, though likely not as strong as it was a few days fresh. Mostly it was the smell of death and the coppery smell of blood seemed ingrained in the very fabric of the room. A few bodies were here and there, though there was no animation was left in them. Whether they were shot in the head and were incapable or they were so far into decomposition that even their diseased brain ceased to function. Their shapes, with seeping bodily fluids were barely recognizable save the vague shape of the bodies and their clothes and hair. Wrinkling my nose, I gratefully accepted a handkerchief from April to tie around my nose as we gingerly stepped around the biological matter; though completely avoiding stepping into it was impossible.

Slowly we headed down the hallways until we found that we had passed most of the gore the further we headed down. Weapons always at ready, we were grateful for that only bodies that we saw were either completely dead or so decomposed that they could hardly do more than flop slowly on the ground like dying fish. We ourselves stayed eerily silent, as though talking were not allowed in this place full of old death, where the deaths of so many others had obviously started. Even my mind could hardly wrap around it, then again there wasn't much to work with. The answers that we sought would likely be ahead of us, the knowledge of that filled me with enough anticipation to keep me on edge for more than one reason.

Dickerson seemed to be the most nervous out of all of us surprisingly; though you wouldn't have known it unless you knew a thing or too about subtle body language. The sweat beading his brow despite the chilly air and the intensity of his stare was enough for me. He seemed to be straining to listen for any sort of sign of life. What was more obvious was his search of the bodies. With each body we came across he would use the point of his rifle to lift up the face and take a look before letting it plop back down with a crunchy, squishy sound. It was difficult to tell if not finding what he was looking for was making him more nervous or relieved, but the searches continued relentlessly. April and I again exchanged a glance at this, but again said nothing. We would find out soon enough.

Rintintin was taking it all in stride considering how much I knew he didn't want to come here, but even still his hackles never once completely relaxed and he stepped lighter than I've ever seen a dog his size walk. He never once ventured out in front like you'd expect a dog to do, but instead stuck to the side of either me or April, obviously seeking some sort of semblance of comfort and every time we slowed or stopped I could detect a slight shaking in his limbs. Every time I felt the brush of his fur I'd reach down for a reassurring pat, but after startling him a few times in doing so I let him be.

Then we heard a loud clatter and his entire demeanor changed. A snarl rose quickly in his throat and he dashed forward before any of us knew what was going on. Yelling after him, I was the first to give him chase even though I might be following him straight into a zombie's nest. Nails scraping on the floor, the canine launched himself in the air and crashed himself through a large glass door at the end of one of the corridors we were in. Once he hit the ground he was off again. Startled at his abrupt change of behavior I chased after him, calling his name. I could hear April and Dickerson behind me doing the same. Leaping over the threshold, I luckily managed to avoid the broken shards of jagged glass and made it into a large circular laboratory room surrounded by about 9 doors. Rintintin's fierce snarl shot through the air followed by a thud, a crash and a man crying out in pain. Shocked, numerous possible scenarios whirling about my mind I bolted towards the sound.

I came in to see Rintintin's jaws firmly attached to the forearm of a man who had both arms up to protect his face. With him screaming pathetically, the dog dug deeper, trying to adjust his jaws to get at a more vulnerable spot. He was clearly in for the kill.

April and I were honestly so shocked to see him acting this way that at first we did nothing but call out to him, trying to get to that mind that we knew he had. Then we were doubly shocked when Dickerson came in, took one look at the situation and swung his rifle like a club, hitting Rintintin squarely in the back. The dog yelped loudly, his legs buckling slightly, but not completely relinquishing his hold. When Dickerson rose the rifle for a second swing I finally snapped out of it and grabbed Rintintin by the scruff of the neck, bodily dragging him off the man. He didn't let go easily, and once I had him detatched he snapped his jaws and snarled at the pathetic crying figure curled up on the floor.

Dickerson immediately secured his weapon and was on his knees, tenderly helping the man up. "Sir, SIR! Are you alright? I'm so sorry about that, sir. Sir?" I looked at him astonished, as much surprised about his reactions as I was to Rintintin's but all of that cleared my mind when I finally saw the attacked man's face.

Despite the bedraggled, greasy hair, the torn and unkempt clothes, the wild growth of a full beard, the dirt mussing up everything and the guant appearance I'd recognize that face any day.

Bishop.

* * *

A/N: Please read and review to let me know what you guys think. You can't imagine how much of a writing boost I got after rereading the reviews before starting this chapter. I have nearly all of the last chapter of My Friend Al written, for those of you interested, I'm just waiting for some advice back from a friend concerning the very ending.

In any case looking forward to reading what you write and I'm thrilled, again, that this wasn't abandoned. THANK YOU!

Toodles!


	21. Going to the Dogs

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT

A/N: I know that before I was evenly skipping to each turtle's story in turn, but I realized that not only am I a bit ahead with Don's story, but the other two currently have no action going on with them other than them making their way over to Eden. The next chapter will likely be Don as well, but I'll probably have one of the other turtles with him at least by the end of the chapter. I meant to with this one, it just ran away from me! I couldn't control my fingers! Hope you like this chapter anyway, sorry to you Leo/Raph/Mikey fans but hopefully getting a few peices to the puzzle will keep you all satisfied.

Chapter 21

Going to the Dogs

I simply stared down at the gaunt yet intimately familiar face as I held a snapping, snarling Rintintin back from him. April reacted before I did, crouching down to throw her arms around the canine while making soothing sounds in her throat, smoothing down his raised hackles with gentle strokes down his back. He slowly started to settle down, at least I didn't have to restrain him anymore, yet his eyes never left Bishop and the growl though diminished never left his throat.

Looking at my nemisis, with Dickerson gingerly helping him up my mind was peicing things together. The way that Dickerson seemed to be doting on him and how he was looking for someone before, was he looking for Bishop the whole time? The second thing blatant in my mind was the state of Bishop. Zombie invasion or no, I couldn't imagine ever seeing him in the state that he was right now. It's not like he was currently running from the undead, they were all too far decomposed to be a major hassle. If he got his clothing messed up and couldn't find formal replacements, he would wear scrubs in good condition before still wearing his rags. This was a lab, plenty of razors, plenty of blades...Bishop ever purposely going without a shave for such a long time? Then there was the gaunt weakness of his body in a person who valued strenght, especially his own. Not to mention the odor emanating from him...I could tell he hadn't bathed in quite a while. The moment his wild eyes rose to meet mine it simply served to cement the thougt in my head. There was something wrong here.

"Sir, sir..." Dickerson finished helping him to his feet, worry and something else that I couldn't name etched in his face. Bishop at first acted like he didn't know where the sound was coming from, looking around in a confused manner. When he finally locked eyes with Dickerson he appeared surprised before staring at him for a moment through squinted eyes. The expression on Dickerson's face quadrupled. "Sir?"

"We need to get the alleles to match, the alleles to match, the alleles to match...we need to get the alleles to match so early..." He half sang half whispered the phrase, before slowly pulling loose of Dickerson's astonished grasp and walking past us as if we didn't exist, heading to the door and looking above his head as though concentrating on an imaginary fly. "The hunger should be resisted, the stomach evil...but the alleles need to match beforehand...very very important...the mind..." Slowly he opened the door and wandered out, leaving an entire bewildered party behind him. Even Rintintin had ceased his growling and was staring after him.

I could do nothing but stare. I had expected to find a lot of things, but never did I imagine finding Bishop mad... I looked at Dickerson, thoughts buzzing around my head so fast it seemed like I couldn't grasp a single one. "What happened? What do you know?"

He said nothing at first, just stood so still that at first I didn't think that he had heard me. Then he exploded into voilent motion, throwing his fist at the window of the door with a loud "F#K!!!" The thick plexiglass actually cracked, sprayed with spittle blood from his knuckles before he rounded on the metal bookcase in the corner with kicks and punches, quickly sending it and all its contents crashing to the floor. He continued his attack on it before it even hit the ground, screaming profanity, his face so purple with rage that I thought his skin would burst. Things were getting out of control.

Quickly deciding things in my mind I put a hand on April's shoulder. "Get Bishop somewhere that he won't get in trouble. I think Rintintin would be alright for now, you'd better take him with you. I'll get Dickerson."

She turned towards me, though her eyes never left the suddenly violent marine. "Are you sure? I could-"

"Just get Bishop. I'll be right behind you." I nudged her towards the door before snatching up a fallen roll of electrical tape, and stepped up to him just as he rounded his frustration in my direction. I caught the first punch in my palm and sidestepped the second going towards my stomach. I took advantage through him being off balance and grabbed the back of his neck and pushing him into the desk slamming his head into the wood. Just as I predicted, he hardly seemed to notice the blow but hopped to his feet and still in a rage came at me again. Stepping lightly on my toes I easily skirted to the side and behind him, giving him a small push in the small of his back. Stumbling, he hit the floor and in an instant I was upon him, straddling his back with my thighs. Grasping his wrists while he was still disoriented, I quickly wound the electrical tape around and around, piling several layers around his wrists even onto his hands. Struggling, he smacked his head into the tile again. "What the f#k you doing! You can't do this! You're a f#king turtle! YOU'RE A F#KING TURTLE!!!"

Getting off of him, grunting slightly as I physically heaved his bulk to his feet I gave him a push towards the door. "I'm a turtle, and I'm a ninja. I told you not to forget it, remember?" He stumbled towards the door, shaking his head. "I bet you won't now," I mumbled beneath my breath. I had temporarily stopped his temper tantrum. It was obvious to me that he was expecting something from Bishop that would probably be impossible now.

Coming into the circular lab I saw April placidly sitting next to Bishop, slowly stroking Rintintin on the head as she looked in my direction. His fangs were showing and hackles still stiff, a clear indication that he wasn't ready to forgive and forget, but at least he wasn't attacking. Instead his fixed stare never wavered from Bishop, who was seated in front of a computer, typing furiously. As I came further into the lab, I saw that the computer wasn't even on. Apparently Dickerson saw the same thing. "Aww, f#k me! This is just f#king perfect!" Glaring at Bishop he yelled at him. "BASTARD!!! I've got your damned dog, happy?! Where's my end, huh?!!!" Bishop never gave an indication of hearing him, he just continued his mad typing, mumbling under his breath the whole time.

Dickerson looked like he was about to go off again, but I jerked him into a chair, breaking his concentration. Leaning heavily on his shoulders to remind him of my prescence and to be a good boy, I looked at April with weary, frustrated eyes. "Anything?"

With a worried look she shook her head. "No, nothing he says makes any sense. He just keeps on about alleles, DNA, hunger, mind and death. I'm sure it means something to what's going on it's just that the way he says it..." again she shook her head.

Hearing Dickerson curse beneath my grip at her words I knew where I could get my answers. And I wanted them, now. I pulled up a chair and sat across from him, leaning my elbows on my thighs. "You know something Dickerson. Spit it out."

He threw his head back and laughed in a way that made me start to question his sanity. "Like it f#king matters now, you freaking booger! It's pointless! It was all for nothing! F#king nothing!" Dropping his head, he suddenly looked weary, his eyes not focusing on anything. "All for f#king nothing."

"What was your mission?" Still drilling my stare into him, I pressed. "Did it relate to the military? What happened here?"

Raising his head and looking at me, reading something in my eyes he faltered slightly. Looking slightly defeated, he gave me a bloody grin. "No, wasn't military. In fact, I went AWOL to do this shit. Risking my own f#king ass. Hopefully our government collapses, otherwise my seargent will _have_ my ass." He glared at Bishop. "He asked me to."

"He asked you to what? Bring Rintintin? Why?"

He looked like he was about to rebel again, but then I started cracking my knuckles and, staring at me warily, continued. "I don't know why, he said he needed him ASAP. He offered me things, money, a new identity...not that any of it f#king matters now. Nothing f#king matters now."

"How did he communicate with you? Was it by phone? Why you? Why just you and not a platoon?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "F#king hell if I know. I guess he just remembered me. I was a private on some secret alien thing, though I didn't see or do anything; just watches and shit. I complained to him. Said I'd be willing to do anything to get out of this crap. Then, about a week before all this shit hit the fan, I got a phone call. Don't know how he got it, but he sure was convincing...didn't sound anything like he does now. He sounded, I don't know, competent...but anxious." He stared at me. "He said it was secret, he needed only one guy. Couldn't get anyone else. When he started naming figures...well it just sounded too good to be true. Too good to be f#king true..."

I looked at Bishop, slowly calculating the time in my head. Somewhere in the last 3 or so weeks, something happened to Bishop to do this to him, now all I had to do was find out what. Getting up from in front of Dickerson I approached Bishop and for the first time noticed that April was doing her own questioning.

"Alleles, the alleles need to match..."

"Match what? Other alleles?" She asked a bit impatiently, tugging at a loose strand of hair. I could tell that this probably wasn't the first time she asked this particular question.

Continuing his rhythmic typing, head slowly bobbing in front of the blank computer screen, he continued to mumble. "They need to match. Growing the mind. Ignore the hunger...The key, I need the key...the alleles to match...Evil stomach..."

"What do you think April?" I sighed. It all felt so frustrating.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. As you know, alleles are sporadic but natural mutations in genes as they form and split, but everyone has them. And in natural biology there's no real need for any of them to match, in fact they benefit the species when they are more varied since they add the variation to the gene pool thus making the population more healthy and viable..."

I knew all this already, but also knew that she was helping herself think. She'd spent more time inside actual labs than I so I let her go on, hoping her mind would grasp onto something. My mind whirred with activity as well. Spying a whiteboard I hopped up from the chair and yanked it towards us, uncapping a marker that was lying on the baseboard. "Alright, maybe it will help if we get organized here." I said out loud. Immediately brightening, she turned towards me and gave me her full concentration. Scribbling on the whiteboard, I made a table with 3 columns. In the left side as a title I put 'Concrete' and on the very right I put 'Variable.' Uncer Concrete I wrote while speaking out loud. "These are the things that we know for sure deal with what's going on here." In it I wrote Rintintin, blood, zombie virus, and cure. "Here's what little we can garnish from Bishop." Under Variable I wrote alleles, mind, key...cure? "Somehow, somewhere in the middle," I scribbled 'Answers' as the title to the middle column "all of these add up in a way that will help us understand. So lets brainstorm."

"Aw, f#k me...I'm going to go f#king mad with you two geeks!"

Ignoring him April, Rintintin and I left Bishop typing on the dead computer to look at the board, searching our mind for clues. We fired off a couple at each other, each firing off our ideas in turn. We fired off theories about the sickness, about possibilities for initial spread, and Bishop's madness but ended up on a fast track to nowhere. We tried exploring the lab that we were in but though it was a lab setting the only thing in was medications, computers and an examination table. Something must be wrong with the motherboard of the main system, for all the computers refused to function beyond playing solitaire. All their files, search and internet capabilities were dead. Over an hour passed and both of us were tired but still pounding our sore heads against a theorhetical wall while we searched our minds. Finally April just threw up her hands. "Well, why Rintintin?"

Still tired, I started and looked at her. That was one of the few avenues that we hadn't explored yet. "What?"

She shrugged. "It's just something that's been bugging me ever since I found out how special Rintintin really is. If he came from Bishop, which you did, right?" She asked Rintintin. Looking somewhat upset he completed a sloppy nod of his head. "Why a dog?"

I scrunched my eyeridges together. Somehow I could grasp at something here, but not quite. "Tell me more..."

Sitting up a little bit straighter, she fixed her eyes on me while she tried to explain. Well, think about it logically, from a scientific perspective. The two most common types of animals that are experimented on are rodents because of their ease of handling, short life spans and low cost; the other are apes because of their similarities to the human body. Whenever experiments go to different types of creatures, it is for a specific purpose or reason. Why a dog?" She looked at Rintintin. "Did they ever try to train you?" Hesitating slightly to think, he awkwardly shook his head. April rounded back at me. "That is the most common purpose for canine experimentation."

Looking at Rintintin I asked "Do you know why you were selected?" He looked decidedly uncomfortable, but I needed answers so gently pressed. Thinking a bit, he shook his head no and looked at me apologetically. "Can you show me where you were...kept?" He answered by getting up and heading to the door, stopping until he saw us hastily gather our things and our captives to follow before continuing. As April gently led Bishop and I led a slightly more cooperative Dickerson we followed the shepard as he led us through several hallways. I tried to remember where we were going, but there was such a hive-like catacomb of hallways, rooms and labs that I wasn't sure if I could find my way back out without his nose.

When we came to the area, the smell hit me immediately before we even opened the heavy steel door. This was obviously a holding facility for animals used by the company. What ws more noticable is that most of the animals were never let out. The first things visible were the numerous plexiglass cages full of rotting rodents, their morbid flesh nearly completely cleared away with the help of maggots. Further down were the apes and monkeys. Every species great and small seemed to be represented, including the still malleable decomposed flesh of a gorilla. Most, however, we could only tell the species by the labels on their cages for their flesh was too far gone. These filled out the vast majority of cages, nearly the entire room until we came to the canines. I looked at April with a sense of impending enlightenment on both of our faces. Something had made the scientists change from the typical laboratory animals to dogs...we hit a nail on the head somewhere. Now we just needed to figure out why.

The first few canine cages were in similar states as the others. These were wild canines; several wolves, coyotes, African wild dogs, and even a few foxes and hyenas though they were of a separate family. These carcasses were all long dead, lying in pools of seeping noxiously liquid that is produced in warm conditions when a body is not moved and is decomposing. The big difference here was that they still had flesh, unlike the other non-canine specimens. Then we came to the domesticated dogs and the story had changed. Though most of the bodies were dead, they did not have the same appearance, state of decomposition, or fluid buildup that the others did. Then we saw a few, a dalmation and a rotweiler, slowly look up to snarl at us.

All of us but Rintintin jumped back as the zombie dogs struggled to get through the bars, though just like their human counterparts elsewhere in the buildings they were still fairly advanced in decomposition. I was already piecing together in my mind the facts, coming to the conclusion that although zombies still decompose, their rate of decomposition seemed to be reduced due to the virus. But this was the first non-human zombie that I had ever seen. The other canines must've been zombies as well, they just finally decomposed to the rate that they could no longer function. That's why they were the only fleshed ones in the midst of all the near-skeletons.

Then we saw an empty cage, the door still hanging open. The label on the door said 'domestic dog, german sheperd.' I looked down at him, but he was pointedly looking away.

Suddenly we were startled as Bishop suddenly threw himself at the dog cages, clinging to the thin bars and whispering to the slowly rotting carcases "Dogs! Why didn't I think of it before! It must be dogs! The alleles...the alleles have to match! The mind! Why didn't I think of dogs before!" We both looked at him cautiously. He was obviously replaying something in his mind, his hands going through hurried motions of things that weren't there, him now barking orders at nonexistent workers. "We must get canines! Their DNA! The alleles have to match! The alleles...the mind...Ooooooooooooooh!" Pivoting on his toes he tore out of the room faster than a man emaciated as himself should technically be able to do. All of us caught by surprise, we dashed after him, even Dickerson with his hands still taped to his back didn't need any incentive from me. Bringing Bishop here had obviously been the best thing that we could do, we sparked something in his lost mind about what he had done here, possibly about the answer to this whole mess.

As we chased him down the hall, pivoting corners and nearly slipping on slimy decomposed matter, my mind couldn't help but wander. Why dogs? What was so special about them and their DNA? Did it have something to do about how and why they made Rintintin with human intelligence? My heart beat harder with excitement as we chased the shredded coattails of Bishop to what could possibly answer all of my questions, the answer to the zombie infection.

* * *

A/N: Whew! That was a lengthy chapter, and I didn't even get all that I wanted to on there! With luck you all liked it anyway. Please post your thoughts, comments and such in the lovely form of reviews, if you like to ramble then ramble to your hearts content! Reviews are always an inspiration!

Toodles!


	22. Going to the Dogs pt II

I know that I haven't been around for a long while, couple years, but I needed to handle some stuff. Long story short, after nearly a decade of being active duty military I am now medically retired, making me an official disabled veteran. Not a nice title. That entire process took over a year and a half to complete and I needed to handle a lot more than I thought that I would in that situation. There's a lot more predjeduce concerning things like that than you would think, considering how the media treats it at least, and it's definetly not pleasant. In any case I'm back and don't plan on going anywhere else. I have some of the proper support to ensure that the same thing doesn't happen to me as it did before.

In any case I really want to thank the people who reviewed my stories when I was so low and absent. It was really inspirational and helped me get started writing again, giving me confidence. Again, thank you.

I hope that you like this next installment, let me know what you guys think. Hopefully it's up to par considering that I've been out of commission for so long.

Chapter 22

We ran down the hall, Bishop putting on such a burst of speed that for a moment I had trouble keeping up. Sure was spry for a scrawny guy, then again he didn't seemed nearly as worried about slipping on zombie parts. Rintintin stayed close to April and I, though he probably could have easily have overtaken us and caught Bishop. His heels disappeared around the corner nearly twenty feet in front of us. The further we went the more pathetic the lighting got. It was dim at its brightest and was punctuated by flickering. I was having trouble even seeing the man. I bit my lip. we were losing him, taking a quick glance at April, who was barely able to keep up I took the chance and put on a burst of speed, quickly outpacing her and catching up quickly to Bishop. I couldn't let him get too far ahead.

I caught up to him swiftly, my legs pumping. I hesitated when I noticed a slight change in the ever-present smell of decomposition but shook it off temporarily. I couldn't let Bishop get away. I nearly missed him, so swiftly did he pivot and dart through a door. Skidding on the slick tile, I yanked the doorknob and barreled through, then nearly toppled over Bishop as he stood stock still in the center of the room. Stopping to catch my breath, I stared at him. He still didn't look well. His chest heaved, his eyes darted all around the room like someone on drugs. His tongue kept darting out and touching different parts of his lip. I looked around the room that we now found ourselves in. It was a much larger room, circular, with various computer work stations set up every ten feet or so. Overall the place must have had a circumference of about 70 feet. A little over a third of the wall space was taken up by floor-to-ceiling windows. Whatever was beyond it lay hidden in darkness, the meager flickering dim light in the current room doing nothing to reveal what lay beyond it. Though the office furniture was in obvious dissarray, and there were large smears of blood across the floor, and some of the equipment, it appeared to be free of any current zombie presence. I grimaced. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Instead of answering me he grasped his head and let out a low otherworldly moan and raced to a computer, fumbling to turn it on with shaking hands.

"Donnie? Where are you?"

"April, here!" I turned around and opened the door, leaning out the hallway I peered through the darkness down the way that I came and didn't see anyone. Looking the other way I spied her and Dickerson, they had already passed the door and were heading further down the nasty passageway. "April!" I said in a hushed tone.

She jumped and whirled around. "Whew! Thought that we lost you there! Is he in there?" she gently looked past my shoulder then back down the hallway. "Rintintin stopped following us so closely. He doesn't want to come down here for some reason." She paused and cocked her head, her eyes losing focus as her nostrils flared slightly. "Is it just me or does it smell...different down here? Not worse, just..." she shook her head.

I rubbed my own nose with the back of my hand and grimaced. "Yeah, I noticed it earlier too. Maybe it has to do with the, ah, 'age' of the zombies in this particular area. You said Rintintin isn't here?" I looked down the hallway once more. "Rintintin, what's wrong?"

I was answered by a low whine that sounded from further down the hallway to see. "Come on, what's wrong?" He whined again.

April shook her head. "Maybe I should go get him now that I know where you guys are. I don't want to leave him alone."

I looked back at Bishop, who was now looking frantically through a filing cabinet. "Yeah, I don't want to leave him alone either." I looked back at her. "You be careful though."

"What about me assholes?" We both looked to see Dickerson standing there, seething at us, his face and shirt soaked in something.

April hid her smile with her hand. "He, uh, slipped into some zombies...extra squishy ones...face first..." her smile got too broad to hide behind her hand and Dickerson kicked the wall hard enough for the sound to reverberate down the hall like a giant dinner bell.

I gritted my teeth. "Damnit, will you shut up!"

He spat on my foot, glowering at me. "It's not like any of these ground zero zombies have enough to chase us anyway. It's your own damn fault. If you would just untie my damn hands I wouldn't be in this position you freaky green toad!"

Looking down at the loogie on my foot I pursed my lips, then looked at April. "Like I said, be careful." Spinning on my heel I turned and stepped into the room, ignoring the blustering marine who was biting fresh curses at me.

Bishop seemed to be working slightly more constructively than before. Looking through the papers, his hands shook less, his searching didn't seem quite as frantic. I approached him but was careful to keep some distance, I didn't want to risk him spooking like a frightened rabbit. Finally he grasped a file and shook it in front of his face as if in triumph. "The dogs, the dogs are the key of course!" letting out I high pitched squeal, he giggled and layed the file on the center table then swiftly turned his back on it, his fingers working themselves into a knot. "Now the right combination, they have to be in the right combination, then it will work! It WILL work!" another giggle and he litterally scampered to an overturned filing cabinet, searching through the spilled papers with wide hands.

My eyes were glued to that file. Darting a look at him I flexed my hands. The answers, the information that could be in there! Keeping an eye on him, I slowly approached the selected file, careful to make no sudden movements. Grasping the generic manilla enveloped I opened it and my eyes scanned the papers within. It was in the form of a compilation of several reports, some pages being full of type, some pictures of dogs and dna strands, and some of charts showing different information. The paper left inside was crumpled, and it was obvious that at least half the pages were missing, making it all the harder to ascertain what was going on. After getting frustrated on my first cursory scan and not revealing anything I pinched the bridge of my nose just above my beak and took a deep breath. 'Alright, Donnie. Don't rush this, this may be the answer right here.'

Shaking myself slightly I went back to the pages and started reading more throughyly. The first pages (which was technically pages 1 and 5) didn't make too much sense at first, but when I got to the next couple it started to come together a little bit in my mind. My eyes widened immediately at the implications that it presented. It was all about the unique genetic makeup of the domestic dog. There was something within their dna that allowed for easy genetic manipulation within an extremelly short period of time, evolutionarily speaking. Whether it was a defect or something created to assist in their survival, it allowed for the rapid change in the entire species to change. It was very vague on that last part and I had to pause to consider what exactly it was trying to say. I furrowed my eye ridges. The domestic dog. Was it really that special? Then again...it had to be one of the most, if not THE most versitile species, right? I mean, in the dog you have the tiny Chihuahua, tall Great Dane, massive Mastiff, long bellies Bassett Hound, even several breeds with no hair at all. Althougth individual dogs had their own personalities, certain breeds were well known for their own personality traits that were common to that particular breed. I stroked my chin with my thumb and settled back on my hip. How long has the domestic dog breed really been in existence? Not that long, I think, evolutionarily speaking. Several hundred years, right? Yet within that scant amount of time the domestic dog had become the most varied species, different breeds exuding different sizes, coat types, builds, coat color, personality traits, skills, even bone structure. Just look at the brachiosephalic dogs! How long would it have taken in a 'normal' species to develop multiple breeds with what are basically purposely deformed skulls? You can't entirely blame man, either. Goats were one of the, if not the first, animals domesticated, so man had the most time to manipulate them genetically. But they don't exude nearly the same characteristics. The same goes for cattle, chickens, even cats. What else could that mean? What else could the ability to rapidly change a species over an extremely short evolutionary period really mean?

It was at that moment that April walked in with a reluctant Rintintin, the large canine pushing his rump against her shins, his tail between his legs, nervously looking from side to side as he hesitantly walked forward with her, one tiny step at a time. I stared at him, knowing that there was something about him that was the answer. He looked back at me and cocked his head slightly, as if to ask me what I was thinking. The obvious intelligence sparked within his eyes and the answer hit me like a bucket of cold water. His brain!

Up until now humans were limited in what they could manipulate genetically, it was restricted to the evolutionary laws that pertained to simple selective breeding. Even then there were breeds that were leaps and bounds smarter than others. What if you were in a laboratory setting and could directly modify the genetic material that was related to the brain? You weren't restricted to simple breeding? With that degree and capability of genetic variance, what could you possibly accomplish?

I turned my head to stare at Biship, who now had his head pressed against the wall, both hands grasping fistfulls of hair and yanking gently in a creepy, rhythmic motion. What could you hope to accomplish? I suppose that it would depend on what they were looking for. Suddenly I had to know.

I pointed to the file. "In here, April, it's about the dogs. Why them." Confusion etching her face, she opened her mouth to speak but I didn't give her a chance to. Turning I approached Bishop. "The dogs, Bishop. It was the dogs. You could manipulate their genetics, their dna would support drastic changes. That's why you picked dogs, wasn't it?"

For a moment I thought that he didn't hear me at all, then he spoke. "Yes, dogs are the key. The key, the key, the key..." He shook his head, grasping his hair tighter. "But the alleles have to match!"

"For their brain? Their mind? Their intelligence? What?"

He spun and stared at me, his wild eyes half hidden with his scraggy bangs. "Yes! Their brain! They are the key! My army needs them! My army! My army!" Shoving past me he ran to where the window was and stared out at the blackness beyond it.

I stepped next to him, staring at his face. He seemed different, somehow...maybe more lucid perhaps. His eyes weren't quite as frantic and his hands weren't trembling quite as bad, yet he just stood there, staring into the next room that was shrouded in darkness. Stepping closer I could suddenly feel the cool air emanating from the glass. Startled, I hesitantly touched the pane and found it so cold that it felt like the inner wall of a refridgerator. Leaning my ear against the glass I could faintly hear the dim thrumming of some sort of machinery. A cooler perhaps? Something niggled at the back of my mind and it didn't feel right. Something wasn't right. Nostrils flaring, I inhaled, leaning closer to the glass. That smell, the different smell, it was stronger over here. Maybe it was coming from the room in there. Suddenly I spied something in the room. I series of tiny red lights managed to dimly pierce through the darkness. They were evenly spaced, placed at regular intervals, set in an area that I could only guess was the ceiling. The sense of unease grew stronger and I backed a step away from the glass. The entire, sizeable base was struggling on meager dying electricity yet this room was so cold that it was seeping out of the thick glass in front of me. Judging from the amount and placement of the lights it wasn't a tiny room in the slightest, in fact if anything it had to be at least five times the size of the one I was in right now.

Looking at Bishop once more I assessed him. He was definetely changing before me, perhaps for the better? Maybe all that we were doing with him was somehow snapping him out of whatever funk he was in. "Bishop, what's in that room?" I whispered.

"Mine." he rasped out, a slow, wicked smile playing his lips. He let out a short, slightly manic giggle. "Mine. My idea. My idea my idea my idea my idea mine. Can't take it away. They'll pay, they can't take it away. It's mine. Minemineminemineminemine. I need to get the key, I need to control it. I can't tell them, it's mine. Can't tell can't tell can't tell tell tell tell tell. Untested. It's untested. Might negatively affect the brain, the brain, the brain, the brain..." squeezing his eyes shut he leaned his head back with his clenched fists pressing into his temples. "My brain..."

"Donnie, what's going on?" April whispered behind me.

Turning around I stared at her, slowly backing away from Bishop and the window. She had a worried look on her face, I could tell that she was worried about the whole situation. I wasn't feeling too good about it either and I could tell that she could read it in my eyes. The senseof unease in my mind started to swell untill my legs became itchy to escape. "April, I think that we should be getting out of here." I said in a low voice. Swallowing hard, she nodded and took a step back.

Bishop's manic smile somehow widened. Beside me Rintintin whined and Bishop whipped around at the sound, his eyes wild, staring straight at him. "The key..." he whispered hoarsly. His whine turned into a low growl though his tail was still plastered between his legs, his hind legs trembling. His eyes darted to me and April. I swear that I saw a spark of recognition in his eyes. Not good. Definetly not good. But a spark was just a spark, right? Come on Donnie, don't be naive.

I barely noticed that his bedraggled tie was off and he was wringing it in his hands in a seemingly random manner...yet purposeful somehow. I touched April's arm and urged her back a little bit. My gut was screaming at me. Something was about to happen. He stepped further away from us, closer to the large electric console in front of the window.

Suddenly he slapped his palm down on some buttons and with loud resounding clang the lights in the room beyond the window shot on. Startled by the loud sound our eyes glued to the window as the lights slowly lit up the area. Abruptly I realized that I was wrong on the size of the room. It wasn't big. It was enormous. And it wasn't a room, more like a warehouse, perhaps an entire building within a building. And it wasn't empty either. Supported by some sort of mechanical and steel support what had wires and lines going into them were zombies. Not just any zombies, but soldier zombies in full combat gear including helmets, face shields and body armor. The zombies weren't 'alive' so far as I could tell, they seemed to be held in some sort of stasis or sleep. Perhaps the cool air and the piping leading into their flesh was some sort of preservative, for although you could tell that they were not new zombies, they were in excellent physical shape. There had to be hundreds of them. Then, although not nearly so great in number, punctuated between large groups of zombies were cages of various sizes, all sides made of solid sheet metal save the door which had bars. Whatever lay within them was shrouded in darkness.

The humming sound stopped and the vents, which were likely spouting out the cool air, died. A loud, piercing beep pierced the air and the little red lights, each of which was connected to at least twenty zombie supports and a cage, blipped off. The doors of the cages popped open and little by little, a twitch of a finger here, a slight jerk of a limb there, the zombies started to stirr.

Hesitations can be deadly. For the brief ten to fifteen seconds that it took stare and take it in, Bishop lunged. Kicking me to the side and shoving April away, he slung the now lassoed tie around Rintintin's mouth, swiftly securing it around the back of his head to make a crude but effective muzzle, scooping up the panicked canine by the waist in an ironclad grip. The door slammed shut and we both rushed it, but the knob wouldn't budge. Somehow it was locked.

With a small scream, April struggled with the locked door, working the knob frantically but ineffectually. Giving it a frustrated kick, I scrambled for my tools, fingers searching for wires that I used to pick the locks. A loud bang and a crack in the other room startled us both and we looked at the window.

Seeing the sea of the undead pressing themselves against the window, the crack spreading, splintering, branching until it reached the entire length of it, tiny particles of glass falling to the ground. It gave in a little and the zombies moaned louder, excited by the sound and the sight of us on the other side.

We were in trouble.

I did not intend for the chapter to be this long but I'm sure that you guys don't mind. Please let me know what you think. I'm having trouble deciding exactly how to bring the rest of the turtles back into the main thread of the story so if you have any thoughts on the matter it would be helpful.

On one more note, I posted an ad on stealthystories that I'm going to hand off my story Tales of a Veteran to someone who would be interested. Send me a message if you think you might be.

Thank you!


	23. Blow it up!

I don't own the TMNT

A special thanks, heads up, nudge, whoop whoop, acknowledgement and special attention paid to HannahCake310 for helping to inspire me to finish this thing; especially with the Leo stuff coming up. She makes a great bouncer (person to bounce ideas off of lol).

Thank you to everyone for your patience with me! I REALLY hope you enjoy this chapter!

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllll

Of course it had to be like this. Turtle luck working true to fucking form.

Mikey and I sprinted down the hallway. Flashing alarm lights flickered off the walls. We had already passed some corpses, though they looked squishier than I ever remember seeing a zombie. Ripe.

We came to another fork in the hall. I skidded to a halt and ground my teeth, clutching my sai tighter. Last time we found the right direction from the sounds of voices, one of which I recognized immediately as Donnie, echoing down the halls. Now all I could hear was a mass of inhuman screams. They sounded more lively than the ones we've seen so far. Their chorus was so loud that it drowned out anything else. Damn! Where the hell was he!

Beside me Peters stared at me. "Where do we go?" The old fart had an assault rifle clutched in his wirey hands. Mariana was close behind him with a military semi-automatic.

I didn't even look at him. I was too pissed, too scared to tell him that I didn't know. My brother was so close...

My eyes narrowed and I lowered into a fighting stance when I heard the clomping sound of heavy boots coming down the bend of the hall. We were greeted by a man in a combat marine uniform, looking worse for wear. As soon as he saw us he skidded to a halt, mouth hanging open, blatant recognition flashing in his eyes. "More of those damn fucking things! _Goddamnit!" _ Turning on his heel he tried to run down the other hall.

Wait...more of those things...was he talking about me and Mikey? With a growl I lunged for him, yanking harshly on his blouse. He gagged and lost footing, his boots wet with what I could only guess was zombie guts. Flexing my fingers around his collar I yanked his face inches from mine. "You're talking about my brother? Where is he!"

He snarled. "Damn idiot! Got himself locked in! Gotta move, the fucking zombies! They're different than the others..." he looked away in disgust "and then I have to run into another _fucking_ turtle. How many of you ninja boogers are there anyway!"

If the situation was different I would have taken the time to beat him to a bloody pulp, I was so pissed, but Don was in trouble. The thought of seeing him again was enough to make my heart nearly beat out of my shell. Taking my sai I dug the tip into his throat hard enough to send a large trickle of blood trailing down his neck. "Where. Is. He." I hissed through clenched teeth.

Cursing even more, he jerked his arms. "Untie me first! I'm not fucking going back there like this!"

Why was he tied up int the first place? Argh! No time to argue. Whipping him around I sliced the tape binding his wrists. Shooting me a glare which I gladly returned with vengence he started down the hall at a full sprint, obviously wanting to get this over with as soon as possible.

We weren't that far off, though it would have taken me forever to navigate the turns. We came upon a lab door with April frantically beating at the thick pane, screaming in full panic.

And there was Donnie...beautiful Donnie!...Frantically trying to work the lock with his picking set, making it more difficult by his violently shaking hands. I could see why he was so nervous. Just as we got there the large window that encompassed almost an entire wall fractured and the first zombie, a soldier in full battle gear, wormed his way out.

We didn't have time for this.

Yelling I skewered the lock with the long tip of my sai, shoving it through so hard that it jutted out the other side and nearly scored Don in the nose. Startled, he looked up at me and saw me for the first time. The relief was obvious as it washed over his face. "RAPH!"

Yanking it out the door swung open just as a dozen more zombies poured out of the pane, clumsily tripping and falling over each other in their attempts, all screaming with bared teeth.

Hurriedly Don and April darted out. I ushered them along, my heart thudding at the sound of the screaming hoard filling the space behind us.

"Raph! We can't leave without Rintintin!" Don yelled above the mass of the undead even as we sprinted down the hall.

Waiting a moment while Peters and Mariana laid down some cover fire, I looked at him. "What the hell! We don't have time for this! In case you didn't notice we're _running for our lives!"_

"But the dog-" He tried to stop, go back the way we came.

What was going on? He was the _smart_ one! Yelling I shoved him so forcefully that I nearly knocked him down. Grabbing him by the arm, fingers digging into his flesh, I yanked him down the hall. "What the hell! We don't have fucking _time_ for this! GET GOING! I don't CARE about a damn DOG!"

"But you don't understand, he has the cure! The dog _is_ the cure!"

Cure? Impossible. They were already dead! Something told me that I should listen. Again. In a different situation I might have reacted differently. But being what it was I shook my head and pushed him forward. He must be delirious. Even looking at him now, eyes darting everywhere, mind obviously not on the pretty damn important predicament that we were in, I wasn't so sure I could trust his judgement right now. We were following the marine until we finally came to the place that we saw him at. He disappeared down the hall. Sprinting, muscles bunching, we tore down the hall. Then I saw the guy just standing there, looking through an open door, fists closing and opening with a manic look on his face. He swung to look at me and smiled wickedly. "Let's do it."

I still felt like hitting him. We didn't have time for this. "What the fu-" I halted when I saw what he was staring at. I don't know how I missed it coming in. An armory. Not just a typical armory with guns, but bombs. Grenades. Mines. The motherload. I looked at him, suddenly understanding what he was talking about. I smiled back. "Let's blow this fucker up."

"What? NO!" Don grabbed onto my shell, yanking me back. "HE'S STILL IN HERE! We can't risk him getting killed!"

This must be about the stupid dog again. Don must've been under some strain. Either way I didn't have time for this. I saw Simon's frame skid into view. He looked at us with wide eyes, relaxing slightly when he saw that we were alright. I motioned to the big man. "Simon! Get my bro and April out of here, we're going to blow this place sky high. There's an army of zombies down there. Mikey, you help."

Don's face twisted and something seemed to snap. "DAMN it Raph! Listen to me!" Suddenly he lunged at me but was caught mid-air by the large and powerful reverend, his arms completely enveloping Don in a big bear hug. I stared in shock as my brother kicked and screamed about the dog and a cure and my stupidity. When did Don get this...explosive? He was acting like me! Then to my shock I saw that April was mimicking Don, though to a much lesser degree, already having to be dragged down the hall by my orange banded brother. Simon looked at me in shock, questions in his eyes. I could read it clearly. 'Continue?' I nodded and he dragged the now cursing brother down the hall with Mariana providing cover.

I was surprised to see Peters hanging back with me, but swiftly discovered that while he was in the navy he must have some sort of experience with explosives. He and the marine were darting this way and that within the room, piling certain types of explosives together, setting what I assumed were timers, and gathering more in a large gunny sack that sat in the corner, talking rapidly to each other the entire time.

Having little to no experience with this sort of thing I kept my distance, letting them work. Looking down the hall I heard the sickening sound of bodies hitting a wall as the zombies moved in a wave, too far down the hall for me to see yet I could hear their calls in a deafening roar. "Guys, we gotta hurry!" I half yelled, half hissed.

They didn't say a word, not even indicating that they heard me. Luckily, they seemed to be done and both practically barreled me over as they rushed down the hall. Staying behind them, using the more cumbersome rifle as cover for them, I followed close at their heels. They took a slight detour, coming to a large industrial sized elevator. Dropping their bags of explosives, they both gripped the doors with their fingers, struggling to open it. I growled. This was taking too damn long! Shoving them roughly aside, I stuck the tip of my sai into the crevice. Twisting, I buried it deeper and then, wrenching my bulk back and forth the doors opened a slight three inches.

It was enough. All of us grabbed a hold of the doors from different angles, heaving with all of our combined weight. Painfully slowly the huge door inched open until it had a foot of space. That appeared to be enough for whatever these two had planned. Grabbing their sack they literally stuffed it forcefully through the opening until with one last heave it popped into the empty space, falling into the deep darkness below.

Whipping around Peters yanked on my arm. "We have exactly one minute to get the hell out of here. Industrial elevators go to the basement, this place is going to blow!"

I didn't need to be told twice. Bombs in the basement, bombs in the armory...had to beat feet.

Yet as soon as we skidded back into the hallway, we were met by a tightly packed hoard of zombies. Instinctively using my sai I lunged at one of them, but the tip simply glanced off the combat helmet. Cursing, I grabbed for the more unfamiliar gun slung across my shoulder, but it was too late. It was reaching for me, teeth bared.

Suddenly his eye opened up in a bloody hole and he slumped on top of me, pinning my legs. Screaming curses I pushed and kicked at the thing even as three more reached for me I felt a hand grab each forearm and drag me away. Laying down precise shots, the marine fired into the wall of the undead with precise head shots, using obvious marksmanship skills. Peters, cursing at me, helped drag me to his feet. "C'mon fatass!" he yelled. With that we sprinted back down, slamming the first door we came to. Yanking a firehose off the wall I wrapped it around the long handles, hopefully holding them off long enough.

"Thirty fucking seconds!" The marine snarled at us.

Turning, we pelted down the tile even as we heard the reinforced glass window of the door shatter. Finally we came to the more camouflaged areas of the building, the one designed to look like a delapitated box factory. Not hesitating a beat save to slam each door behind us we tore further down to the front door. Breaking out into the open air, we came to the large tank-looking-thing that was what led me to investigate this place for Don in the first place. Peters and I sprinted past it, going for the Battle shell parked right behind him. The marine scaled the armored vehicle in three steps and vaulted into the latched opening, shutting it behind him. The Battle Shell's wheels were already moving before we even closed the door. Tearing down the blacktop, quickly followed by the marine in his vehicle, we put distance between us.

Breathing heavily I plopped down on the chair.

We felt it before we heard it, the tremor that caused the entire vehicle to quake before the loud thunderous sound rattled the bindings. Grinning, giving Mikey a high five, I looked at my long lost brother, overjoyed in my heart.

He didn't seem to share the sentiment. His face buried in his hands, he gritted his teeth. "The cure, Raph, the cure. You may have just killed us all."

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllll

What do you think? For those of you new to this story, thank you so much for taking the time to read all that just to catch up, i hope that it was an enjoyable experience for you. For those who have followed this since the beginning, thank you SO much for sticking with me! I hope you're not disappointed. There should only be two or three more chapters, and all of them already have something written on them, so this WILL get finished!

Please review, let me know your thoughts, ideas, hopes, predictions, whatever! Anything is welcome! looking forward to hearing from you!


	24. Bad News

I don't own the TMNT

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllll

This was just too weird.

Don and Raph were fighting.

Fighting like Leo and Raph would.

All I could do was stare from one to the other. It started when Don practically jumped down Raph's throat as soon as he got into the Battle Shell. That itself was surprising. Don, yeah he has a little of a temper, but this? He was acting like, well, Raph! He had changed, that's for sure!

He was actually cursing at Simon when we dragged him out. I didn't understand it at all. He kept on going on about some dog and I think a cure. Didn't make too much sense, but I wanted to listen, really! But he would have none of it, he didn't want us to blow the building. I tried to explain that there were zombies in there...then he just stopped trying to talk to me and tried to convince Simon to let him go, using more Donnie-type-language. Reasoning. Stuff like that. I could tell that the reverend was uncomfortable, but he wouldn't go against Raph's orders. So he said nothing, just looking miserable.

April was no help. Though she was a lot easier to hold onto than Don, it still wasn't easy. She kept on begging me to listen to Don. She pleaded, she even cried. Oh, man, I was so torn! She seemed so sincere, and sure Don was acting a little nutso but...what if there was something in there? What if there was some dog in there that was important for some reason? For a second there I was tempted...yeah, Raph told me to take them out here but...maybe...

It was around then when Raph, Peters and the soldier guy came running out like their butts were on fire. Don and April kinda deflated around then. They knew what was up. Sure enough, as soon as they came into the Battle Shell and we started moving the place exploded. For a second I was distracted and watched it from the window. Man, explosions never got old! Especially when I wasn't running from it or caused it!

My pleasant distraction, of course, was ruined by them fighting.

It started with Don just really laying into him. About responsibility, the good of mankind, the manner of disease and some other sciencey stuff; he was so mad he was shaking. At first Raph didn't say anything, just stared at him in shock. I could see the hurt in his eyes. I knew what he was feeling. All I wanted to do was hug Don and April, tell them how much I missed them, how scared I was for them, but they rebuffed any advances cause they were wigging out so much about the dog and stuff. For a sec I just wanted to grab Don and shake him, tell him that his family was here, that we missed him, loved him...

Of course Raph chose that moment to snap out of his hurt shock and bark back at him.

I'll admit that I didn't really listen too much. It was too upsetting. I sat, turned away, trying to avoid looking at them. Tears threatened behind my eyes but I fought them back. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! We were reunited with Don and April, we were supposed to be happy! He was the only family I had left other than Raph and we weren't supposed to be like this! We were supposed to be happy!

Peters, Mariana and Simon were all equally uncomfortable. Yeah, they've seen Raph lose his temper but they haven't seen him lay into someone like that, especially someone who gave as good as he got. Plus they weren't expecting this kind of reaction from our brother. The tension was thick enough to cut. I put my hands to my ears, squeezing my skull, fingertips digging into my skin. Hot tears squeezed from between my eyes.

Wasn't supposed to be like this.

They were still yelling at each other.

Wasn't supposed to be like this.

The fighting...

Wasn't supposed to be like this.

The accusations...

Wasn't supposed to be like this.

The anger...

Wasn't supposed to be like this.

It _wasn't supposed _to _be_ like _this!_

Suddenly I snapped. "SHUT UP!" Everyone suddenly froze, all eyes on me. I glared at them, fists balled at my side, mad. _Hurt_ mad. Emotion clouded my vision, but I still glared at them. "Why are you fighting! It wasn't supposed to be like this!" I stared at Raph with tear filled eyes. "We've been without him SO LONG! How can you just fight? We've been fighting _those things_ since we escaped New York! We shouldn't fight _each other!"_ I rounded on Don. "What's WRONG with you! We just rescued you! We've been separated for so long! Why are you acting like this!" The tears welled and spilled over my cheeks. "I missed you so much! I just wanted to give you a hug! I MISSED you! Can we just start over, please?" my voice cracked and I rubbed my eyes. "You guys are all that I have left, don't you understand?" I clenched my teeth. "You have to understand! _Please!_"

Don stared at me. He was silent for a second and I saw a familiar Don-is-thinking-face. Then his eyes clouded a little as he looked around the room. His mouth worked a bit like he was going to say something, then seemed to think better of it. He bit his lip and shook his head, fist pounding his thigh. "I'm sorry, you're right, I was caught up in what happened, but what's done is done." Though he sounded really defeated with that last part, he still looked up and smiled. "Man, I sure missed you guys!"

Gleefully we shared an extra cheesy group hug like all brothers should do. Raph participated with no shame, even hugging Don a little too tightly until for a second he couldn't breath. Though he tried to hide it I could see the tears in his eyes. It was great! I was all over them, giggling even as the tears continued to flow, completely soaking my mask. This was how it's supposed to be!

Don was the first to break, still smiling, blinking back the tears, wiping them away with the back of his hand. "Man, this is great! And so much happened! We need to catch up. I can't wait to tell Leo about..."

His smile faltered when he saw the look wash over our faces at our brother's name. I was thunderstruck. I had completely forgotten that Don didn't know, it was like I had _assumed_ that he knew...but it was obvious that he didn't. How could he? Dread started to fill his face. A deep coldness settled into the pit of my stomach and a hard lump formed in my throat. I tried to swallow but it hurt too much. Don's eyes got wider as his gaze darted between the two of us. "Raph? Mikey? Where's Leo? Where's Master Splinter?" his voice was barely above a whisper, lip trembling.

Tearing his gaze away from him, Raph looked at me. His eyes were filled with sorrow, jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscles in his cheek bouncing. He didn't know what to do. His face pleaded for me to try. I bit my lip hard enough that it started to bleed. Somehow I managed to choke out some words. "Leo and Sensei, they're..."

I couldn't do it.

With a sob I ran to Raph and buried my face in his plastron, my arms wrapped around his shell. In truth I had tried real hard _not_ to think about them, it was just so much easier. I know it was wrong, that I was dishonoring their memory, but I had myself balanced on a precarious beam. Keep it light, don't pay attention to everything crashing down around me, don't think about everything that's happened...now here it is staring me in the face, forcing me to stare at it. It was too much. I just couldn't do it.

Raph stroked my hand with his hand, his other embracing me around my shell and took a deep shuddering breath. I could already hear April crying. She knew what was about to come. But Don was still silent. I knew how he was. How he thought. He needed to hear it.

"Leo and Sensei are dead, Don. They never made it out." His voice cracked as he spoke and I could feel him hug me tighter.

It was like the entire space in the Battle Shell just shattered. Everyone was crying, our skin wet with salty tears. We embraced in one big sobbing lump. Then April whispered to Raph about Casey...I felt his fists tighten. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to rant and rave. Don wanted to know the details, as if he could pick it apart and prove us wrong. He sounded desperate. We couldn't do it. We couldn't tell him how we had to leave Leo behind, how we didn't look hard enough, we didn't try to double back, that we failed our brother and our father.

They were all dead. We were the only ones left.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The next few hours were quiet. None of us were in the mood to talk. We were all too raw, our thoughts consumed so much with everything that we talked about, everything we learned, everything that we had seen.

At first that's all I could think about. It's my fault. I had tried so hard to not think about them at all. So hard. Now I just couldn't stop crying. I was sitting on the floor at Raph's feet, my arm curled around his waist and my head on his lap. By now his skin was slippery wet with my tears but he didn't berate me once. He just stroked my head in a very comforting way, fingers tracing the outline of my mask.

I chanced a glance up at him every once in a while. He stared into space, not really looking at anything. I guess that he did the same thing that I did, only for him it was easier. It was probably easier not to think about your lost family when you had so much sudden responsibility, when you suddenly had over 50 people looking to you for leadership that you didn't know you never wanted. I wanted to reach out to his face and tell him that he was a great brother, kiss him like we used to do before we got all angsty-teenager-ish, but I didn't. He always had a harder time dealing with our emotions than the rest of us, I guess that he might be feeling a little more raw. Especially since he and Leo fought as often as they did. I could see the guilt on his face.

The news about Casey didn't settle with him too well, I could tell. They were always so close...

Sighing I switched my gaze over to Don and April. April had since cried herself out on Don's shoulder, but she stayed there after she was done, allowing her head to be cradled on his skin. Don had his hands wrapped around her slender frame, his hand slowly rubbing up and down her spine, stroking her skin through her shirt. It seemed like a real intimate gesture, it made me wonder what happened between the two while we were gone, though I could probably guess...

Don's mind was obviously working hard. I could see the guilt on his face, too. Maybe he's thinking how he could've changed things if he didn't leave, I don't know. I'm usually the last person to ask about Don's thought processes. Hugging Raph's shell a little tighter I looked at the brainy brother that, until that fateful night at the farm with the CB radio, I though that we lost forever...

I smiled at his appearance. He looked so dirty! Really not like him. Odd crescent shape marks were on his body, like someone put a dirty cup on him. Abruptly my head shot up and I stared hard at him, eyes wide. Everyone looked at me in surprise, but I was too shocked to say a word. Mouth hanging open I slowly approached my brother and reached out a slightly shaking hand. Lightly I touched a crescent mark on his arm and rubbed it with my thumb, trying to wipe it off. There wasn't even a smudge. Shocked I stared at him. "You've been _bit!_"

Immediately everyone was on their feet. Peters and Mariana both raised their guns at him, hands shaking, scared eyes looking at Raph for guidance. Simon yelled for news, hearing the commotion but we couldn't speak.

Raph stared hard at him, I did the same. He wasn't just bit once, he was bit _a lot!_

Don's eyes moved around everyone, one arm slowly moving April behind him. Raising his hands he carefully motioned for us to be calm. "Easy, guys, easy!"

"How many times were you bit!" Raph hissed, staring hard at him. I could see it in his eyes. He was thinking that we just lost another brother. He was reeling, he looked like he was about to crash. "Why didn't you _tell_ me!" Fresh tears appeared in his eyes.

His face hardened slightly, then he made an effort to relax it. His words were slow and careful, so as not to disturb any twitchy trigger fingers. "I did try...well, kind of. There is a good reason why I know that the dog I told you about is a cure. I know because he cured _me!_"

Raph stared at him in open mouthed wonder. Getting up he reached for the bites himself. Though obviously tense and tempted to stop him, Don allowed it. I stared over Raph's shoulder as he gently pulled at the skin around the bite. I widened my eyes as I saw the bite move with the motion. It was nearly _healed_. I stared at him. "So that stuff...that stuff you were saying about the dog..."

Don worked to keep his face expressionless, though I could tell that he wanted to lash out like he did when he got in here. "YES. I was telling the truth."

Putting a hand to his head, Raph paced in the limited space before slamming his hand on the side, looking at Donnie hard. "So I might have destroyed a cure to this shit?"

Face rigid, Don didn't say a word. He just gave a slight nod. I felt my stomach plummet, my veins run cold. Oh, no...what did we do!

Raph growled, fists clenched."

_"FUCK!"_

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I know, I know! No action, no excitement, but I felt like I needed that scene in there somewhere. The kicker is that all of us KNOW that Leo isn't dead! When will they find out? What about Bishop and Rintintin? Are they alive? Will they be found? Who knows! (well, that's a lie, _I_ know, but that doesn't count!) Hope I did okay on the brotherly moments section, I'm not really great at those so with luck it came across alright.

Really hope that you enjoyed this chapter!

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!


	25. Back to the Farm

I don't own the TMNT

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllll

We continued driving for several more hours. Questions bounced around in my head. I could tell that Raph and Mikey had similar thoughts, but all of us held our tongues. It was understandable, especially from my perspective I suppose. I went from violent protest, to shouting down Raph, to horrible sorrow, to guns trained at me and a resurface of my previous anger at having let them blow the facility up in the first place. I held my tongue mostly because, on top of being emotionally frayed from that roller coaster ride we just went through, I was afraid that my temper would rise again if I started asking too many questions right now. For once, I relaxed my brain and tried not to think about what just happened. After all, what good would come of asking questions now? Nothing would be changed. Rintintin was still destroyed in the explosion with Bishop, our cure was gone. Maybe I could be able to glean something from my own blood, after all, Rintintin did cure me, but I wasn't sure. Just because you get cured by a disease doesn't mean that you are a vaccine. Rationally speaking, it's not really how it all works. Besides, I knew that we were going to the farmhouse and there wasn't really anything there I could use anyway, I needed a fully stocked lab for that.

Mikey had less of an inclination to stay silent. I suspect that maybe he needed the noise to distract himself, to think of something else. Of all our family I had always thought of him as the most emotionally fragile. He chattered on constantly, though not necessarily about anything that happened to him and Raph, perhaps that was too close to his emotional nerve right now. Instead he jabbered on about all the people.

I raised my eyeridges when he started on that tangent. People? I looked at Raph for affirmation but he had taken to staring blankly out the window, mind lost to the world while he was likely dealing with his own fresh emotions. Swiveling my gaze back to Mikey I tried to absorb what he was telling me. Apparently Raph was now in charge of over fifty people, the surprising thing was that the people seemed to prefer it that way. I couldn't help but look at Raph again, trying to imagine what state the people had to be in to look at this giant green mutant turtle with an anger problem and see a leader to be followed. Even as I listened to Mikey drone on I tried to imagine what it would be like to walk amongst a large group of people in broad daylight who not only was just fine with a mutated turtle in their midst, but respected you on top of that. It would have to be something to store safely in my memory banks once it happened. After so long slinking in the shadows I didn't want to easily forget the feeling of being accepted for the first time, though for some reason I was nervous for it to start.

I smiled as Mikey's topic of conversation switched to a group of girls that he gleefully referred to as his 'ladies in waiting.' Why was it that I could so easily imagine Mikey being a big flirt if given the chance?

It was a more direct route there. Apparently it took a lot longer to get to the lab then the other way around, mostly because they didn't get lost on the way back to the farm like they did on the way here. I smiled at the thought. Trust Mikey and Raph to get lost on the way to a rescue mission.

Mikey filled me in on the main people involved. I learned about Simon, who was driving, the two carrying guns were a smart-assed man and Mariana seemed to always be at Raph's side helping him. I smiled when he told me about the teenaged boy who became Raph's shadow and mimicked his every move. Trust Raph to get a fan at the exact moment he didn't ask for one, though apparently he was growing on him.

At first when we came to the farm I didn't move. Although the drive took hours, with all that had transpired and with all that was going through my head it seemed so much shorter. Plus that old hesitation was coming back when I could hear the people start to gather outside the van, actually _clapping_ when it came into view. The sunlight seemed to blare in through the window. Then April took my hand and smiled at me. Instantly I relaxed and smiled back at her. "It'll be okay." She said in a low voice. I nodded and stood up.

Raph was the first one up. I wasn't surprised, he was twitching through most the ride, it was probably all he could take to not pace constantly. The reverend at the wheel turned and smiled at me, his white teeth making stark contrast against his dark skin. "Welcome to our little group, Donatello." He said in his deep, musical voice. I smiled back at him, but was distracted when Raph opened the rear door.

The crowd of people shifted tighter to the rear of the van, all shouting out calls of welcome and happy thoughts, a few even offered hands for him to shake as if they actually thought he would oblige. Instead he scowled. "Get back! Geesh!" Face twisted, he turned around and surprisingly took my hand. Looking up at him and smiled, standing up, my other hand in April's.

Mikey bowled past us, standing in a grandois posture with his hands outstretched towards the sky. "Greetings once again my people!" He shouted gleefully. "Our noble quest was successful and we return with our long lost kin!" There was a loud chorus of high pitched squeals in a smaller segment of the crowd and he clapped his hands with a wider smile. "My lovely ladies! How I hast thou missed thee! Cometh here-eth, alloweth me to basketh in your presence-eth!" Flashing me a devilish grin he hopped down and strutted through the crowd like a peacock. They parted for him willingly, smiles following in his wake.

I walked over to the opening with Raph and the crowd got overjoyed, many calling me out by name and wishing me welcome. I grinned sheepishly at the unexpected attention. Smiling, Raph let it continue for a few seconds before shouting above them. "Shut the hell up already! You want to bring a herd of zombies over here? Damned idiots." Still smiling he hopped off the van right before me, immediately joined by a scrawny teenage boy.

"Mr. Raphael! I made sure that everything went as you said! I can update you on everything, I made notes."

He ground his teeth whirled to him. "I said _stop_ calling me that! It's Raph!"

He nodded energetically. "Yes, Mr. Raphael."

I smiled and got off the van, at first startled at all the people who placed their hand on my shoulder to say in a quieter voice how they were glad that I was okay, and others wanted to shake my hand, saying how much they had heard about me (probably from Mikey) and other things. It was a bit disconcerting to have so many people act towards me like this, after all most times they called me a freak and ran away, but I'd get used to it pretty quick.

"Damn! A lot of people here!"

Hearing the familiar voice I whirled around stared. "Dickerson? Why are you here!"

The marine made a face at me while crawling off of his LAV. "Fuck off, don't feel like dealing with you're ass right now. I'm going to see if they have a drink. A _real_ drink."

I turned to Raph. "What is he doing here!"

He looked at me confused. "What do you mean, he helped us bust you out? Yeah, he's an ass, but-"

"But he shot me in the head, left me for dead and hit April!"

His mouth worked and his eyes went to the bruise on April's face to the bandage over the furrow on my head. Then he looked hard at the marine disappearing into the crowd, his muscles tensing. Fists balled, he looked like he was about to pursue him, then he relaxed slightly, though not completely. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out though he still spoke through clenched teeth. "Okay. You guys have a history, but you have to understand, he's had special training and experience. He can be important to the group if he chooses to stay. I'll get the whole story later, but for now either try to work it out a little bit or just avoid him for now." He gave me a crooked grin. "Don't worry, I'll deal with it. You just find a spot to get yourself settled. Relax."

I stared at him. Not for what he was suggesting but...well, for what he said! He sounded so...responsible! Did he just make a move to control his anger without someone telling him to? Then the teenager was next to him and told him something about a privy trench. Raph rolled his eyes and angrily gestulated for him to lead him to the problem and put a hand on my shoulder for a gentle squeeze before turning away. "Don't worry Don, I'll be back if you want to talk about it or something. I just need to take care of these idiots first. I swear, they don't even know which way to wipe sometimes. Friggin' morons." With that he turned and followed him, the crowd parting before him like a wave.

Both April and I stared at him as he disappeared into the crowd. She turned to me. "Did that just happen?"

Raising my eyeridges, I nodded. "Yeah, he changed. A lot, apparently. Mikey wasn't kidding."

She smiled at me. "But you did too. I don't think someone could go through a situation like this and _not_ change."

I nodded again. Apparently so.

Just then Mikey latched onto our shoulders so roughly that he nearly knocked us both over. "So...Donnie boy! What do you think?"

I looked around at the huge amount of people milling about. The rest of the day was like a constant bombardment. So many people wanted to talk to me, either about nothing at all, asking real intelligent questions, and a few seemed to want to get in good with Raph which was weird enough in and of itself. Eventually I sought solitude in the farmhouse and upon seeing a real bed for the first time since leaving the Lair I realized how tired I really was.

Laying down, already having several people volunteer to wake me up for dinner, I stretched out slowly on the mattress, smiling when I saw that April was already asleep. My mind drifted back to all that had happened. Something in me wanted to ignore my common sense and intellect to believe that Rintintin was still alive. Logically, of course this was highly unlikely. There were scant minutes for them to escape, especially since Bishop had the struggling canine who was by no means small or easy to manage. Even if Rintintin escaped then he'd head right for us, towards the zombies where we no longer were. It made me sadder than I thought. Even if he wasn't part of the cure, in a way the plucky canine had become my friend...

Then there was Leo and Splinter. A lump formed again in my throat at the thought of them. It was hard to believe that they were dead. I've always had Splinter there...we all have...he was our father, the one we could always turn to. And Leo. He was so stable, dependable. We could always count on his steady leadership, his skill, his understanding and of course his love for his brothers...

I didn't realize that I was crying once more even as I drifted off to sleep.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Really hope that you enjoyed this chapter! I know, I know, fluffy fluff fluff fluff! But I really felt the need to set the scene at the farmhouse before doing anything else. There are 2 more chapters to the story, and I have something to make it interesting:

**First:** I will let the fans decide which POV to do the final chapter in! Do you want it to be Don, Raph, Mikey or Leo? OR I can do it with an OC like Dickerson or Rintintin...(if I bring him back of course BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)

**Second:** I am seriously considering not completely ending this story. Extra ideas are popping up that can let me successfully continue. So I'll put it to a vote too. End it, continue it or sequel?

You have 2 more chapters to decide!

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

P.S. If anyone is interested I do have another story going on in Don POV called Light Purple Dark if anyone is in the mood for good old fashioned Blood/Gore stuff, you're input would be greatly appreciated!


	26. Craziness

I don't own the TMNT

Oh, you guys are going to HATE me! I know I said two more chapters, but in writing this one it turned out to be so immense that I had to split it. It really takes place in two different locations anyway, so, yeah, there are at least two more chapters after this. *smiles sheepishly* The good news is that there is another Leo one after this, right? And I almost have it entirely written, so I shouldn't take more than a few days to sift through it and such.

I haven't done Leo in SO long that I was honestly nervous about this one. I REALLY hope that I got him down alright. I know I have some real Leo fans out there so I'll likely get a tongue lashing if I missed the mark.

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllll

I awoke swiftly, just as I did the other day. A muscle on my thigh was at least partially numb. Making a face I tried to shift without really moving, not wanting to wake up the kids that were piled around me. Even Mark was leaning against my torso, propped up in a sitting position, his chin against his chest. Though it wasn't the most comfortable I've ever been, it wasn't bad. Throughout our travels, the children had slowly seeped into an ever-deepening trust of me. I wasn't one hundred percent sure that I was comfortable with it. I had already failed my father, ending up in his death. I had failed my brothers, now they were dead or alive, I didn't know. Either way, because of me, they were separated and lost from me. How could I put myself in line to fail innocent children?

Well, to tell the truth I hadn't slept too deeply anyway. I had grown complacent while on the boat. There was no real chance that zombies could get on it, I even put it such a distance away from the coast whenever I left to get supplies that I had to swim a good few minutes just to reach it.

I left the boat both because of the dream Mark had and the more practical one of the thing running out of gas. I had tried to find where he talked about in his dream, but to no avail. So much was destroyed, I couldn't find enough discernable landmarks to use. Plus each time I thought I had the right direction, that always seemed to be where the most amount of zombies had congregated, all shuffling listlessly, just waiting for someone like me to present themselves as a tasty treat.

Now we were off our secure vessel and on the same land that probably housed countless zombies, all waiting for me to fail my new charges as I had in the past. I had trained the kids a bit in my own way, mostly on stealth and silence. They took to it really well, learning it faster than I thought kids their age normally would. Then again, the stuff they were learning was key to our survival right now. We traveled almost exclusively at night and they were all already accustomed to following in my precise footsteps. Being so careful, we were fortunate to not have been attacked thus far though there was more than one occasion where we had to hide from them as they slowly shuffled past. Yet I was always expecting my luck to run out, for a massive attack to happen. The area seemed so perfect...too perfect. So I had slept lightly, picking my head up at the slightest sound, listening for a long time before putting my head down again to attempt to catch some more fitful sleep.

Technically, we shouldn't have anything to worry about, this was the best site I had found in a long time. We were in an empty department store, nearly all the shelves swiped clean by looters and people frantically making last minute preparations after the zombie apocalypse had already started. The huge industrial shelves, designed to hold massive weight, were perfect. I had carried them up one by one, and after Mark expressed concern on how to get down if something should happen to me I retrieved a ladder to put at our feet near the edge. We were safely over ten feet off the ground.

As the sun rose the light was peeking through the window, which just happened to be positioned in the precise right spot that the bright sunbeam lit up my face. I huffed the breath out of my lungs, squinting at the sunny onslaught. Well, not going to fall asleep now.

Yet I wasn't willing to move yet. I might wake up the children, who for some reason wanted to follow me. Also, selfish as I was, I felt good with their little bodies against mine. The terror remained with me, though. I didn't want to have to use my sword like I did with Master Splinter.

The dreaded image flashed once more in my mind, his head lopsided, my blade sticking out of his body.

Oh, Master Splinter.

Without warning a lump formed in my throat. I tried in vain to swallow it down, but it hurt, it didn't work. So I let it out. Hot tears soaked my mask and ran down my cheeks as I sobbed silently. How many times had I cried over him? Not enough. It will never be enough. I could never be forgiven for what I did to him.

My thoughts switched once more to my brothers. My self hatred welled. How could I let this happen? My losing them, losing my family, the brothers that my father had foolishly trusted me to look after...that one was completely my fault. They were my responsibility. The failure of it weighed heavily on me, like a leaden ball deep within my soul.

A hand lightly touched my cheek. I nuzzled into it slightly, selfishly taking comfort in the sensation. Mark smiled a small smile, his own eyes swimming in tears that didn't yet breach his lids. Sadly enough, though it was in a different context, sorrow was one thing that we all understood all too well. With a shuddering sigh, we both sat there, the other children still sleeping soundly. No words were spoken or exchanged, but at this point, they really didn't need to be.

Funny, I had never really felt this close to a human before. Even April and Casey, they were good friends, sure, but this...this was something different. Sometimes I missed conversing with someone my own age, an actual adult. Of course, the only adults I see nowadays are the undead variety. Shifting slightly I slowly wrapped my arm around Mark and drew him closer to me. Although he didn't return the embrace he allowed it, even leaned into it slightly, not something that he would've done when we first met.

I felt a strange kinship with these children, a feeling like I've never had before, even with my whole family. It was different, they were dependent on me. And as likely as that failure was to happen, I was determined to stop it for as long as I was able.

A slightly shifting sound seemed to echo in the air. Immediately I stilled, ears straining. I could feel Mark doing the same.

Both silent, our ears tuned, we sat there. Until we heard it again, this time more distinctive. The front door on the opposite end of the building creaked open before clanging loudly against the wall. The raucous sound seemed to reverberate in my being. I winced at the sound. Immediately we heard a man cursing, followed quickly by the desperate whining of a dog, though it was somewhat muffled. Perhaps it was muzzled? My head swiveled and my eyes met Mark's. We said nothing, yet we understood. He helped me gently lift the sleeping children off my body as I shimmied out. Taking a brief moment to stretch my limbs slightly, allowing stiff joints to pop before I was somewhere compromising, I slowly crept to the corner of the shelving unit. With tender touches, so as not to rattle the metal, my feet touched the cold industrial floor.

I could hear Mark slowly waking up the children, starting with six year old Sarah, so that they would not wake up screaming if something went wrong and attract attention to themselves. We had gone over such a situation on multiple occasions and as I padded away I could barely hear him whisper to her about being quiet and catching her up on the situation. I smiled. It was nice knowing that I could count on him, though it still troubled me on how this nine year old was acting. Still much too mature for his age, though considering the atrocities they suffered, it wasn't terribly surprising.

Shaking it from my mind I focused on the task at hand. Padding stealthily across the floor I expertly navigated the rows and columns of shelves. I had scouted the entire area before and after arriving here, both to check for threats and supplies as well as familiarize myself with the layout.

With a steady hand I withdrew a single katana, careful to not make it sing as it left its home. Holding it to my side, ready to heft it at a moment's notice, I approached the doorway.

A man in what appeared to be a bedraggled black suit wrestled with a large german shepard. Though his back was to me I could see that he was obviously having a hard time with it. The dog was struggling, his body worming and wriggling fantastically despite a belt securing his hind legs to his body and a tie making a simple but effective muzzle. The man screamed curses at the dog. I winced again at the sound bouncing off the walls, ignoring the slight niggling feeling that the voice sounded familiar. He was being too loud. Didn't he care about the zombies? He was going to draw them right to us!

"DAMN! You are MINE! You can't even THINK of escaping! How often have I TOLD you this! You're alleles...they match. Match. Match. Match. Too important MUCH too important. Important..." Abruptly he started humming a child's tune, his voice slightly thready, as though it didn't know quite where to devote it's vocal energy.

Something told me that he wasn't quite right. It was as if the guys mind was grasping at sanity straws and failing more than meeting success. I shook my head. It didn't matter. Either way this needed to stop. He was being too loud. Briefly I considered simply cutting him down. After all, allowing him to follow us was out of the question. Someone like him was likely uncontrollable and would be a constant danger to my wards. Then again, maybe he could just continue with his noise. We'd slip out the back and all the zombies would go to him and ignore any sign of our presence. It sounded cold, but it seemed the safest for the children. It was a backup. After all, zombies will always attack a walking victim, they'll likely ignore a dead person. He didn't seem like he was going anywhere, already he was pacing back and forth within the same ten foot area, his back still to me.

Decision made, I slowly and silently backed away from the crazy man and his dog, not turning around until I felt I had put enough distance between us to turn around and sprint down the floor without a sound.

I could see Mark peeking out slightly, his head not moving. I smiled. It was obvious that he had followed my direction. When it came to sight, zombies were almost purely motion-driven. Sometimes it didn't matter if they saw you so long as you didn't move.

As soon as his eyes lit upon me he scooted out slightly, staring at me intently with both eyes. Without uttering a word I scaled the corner of the shelf, offering my shell. As we had previously planned, Mark went down first so that he could help control the younger children on the floor while I went for the others. One by one I took them down. Having gone through such procedures before, none of the children made a single vocalization, even the four year old twins, although they really couldn't help all the noise they made with their bodies. They just didn't have the mechanical knowledge to know how to move with stealth by pure habit like I did.

With them all on the floor I urgently herded them down the hall, wanting to keep both hands free to defend them if need be, one sword drawn and held stiffly away from the children as they scurried along the wall.

The struggles of the man and the dog seemed to echo throughout the building. I gritted my teeth, my mind clearly envisioning zombies perking up and coming towards us. Then I heard the man make a sudden loud curse. The dog barked, obviously now free of the muzzle, followed immediately by an even louder curse. I could only assume that he'd been bitten. My thoughts were answered when I heard the distinctive sound of a dog's nails scraping along the hard floor, though not completely. It took a second for me to remember that the dog was also restrained with a belt securing his hind legs to his abdomen so I probably was only hearing the front paws.

Cursing myself for allowing the pause I hurried the children along faster, allowing them to get a little ahead of me as I tensed my arm, my katana held stiffly upright and ready.

Just as I had thought, the dog came into view. It looked almost comical the way that the canine moved, front legs stiff, toes splayed wide. His front paws ran along much faster than the rest of him, his canine claws slipping easily on the slick industrial-type surface. What surprised me was the look on the dogs face when his eyes met mine and he froze for a second, just staring at me. Was that...recognition that I saw on his face? No, impossible. Not only have I met few dogs, but they weren't really that smart. There was no doubt, however, that once his eyes met mine that he started to make a beeline for me. Silently I cursed. I didn't need this, I needed to get the kids out of here!

However when the man skidded into view behind him, my eyes widened in shock. This was the first time I saw him from the front and despite the bedraggled appearance and the overgrown facial hair I recognized him immediately.

Bishop.

This, to say the least, was the last thing I expected. In fact, it caused me yet another crucial hesitation. The dog, seeing my pause, increased his frantic pawing, his hind end bumping at least twice as fast across the floor. Already he was twenty feet from me.

Grinding my teeth in frustration at my own stupidity I nodded sharply at Mark. He saw the motion and, just like we had discussed before, urged the children into a run. We had a predetermined spot outside, chosen before we had entered the building, for them to hide should something happen. Swiftly I turned to the intrusions and held my katana at my center, face grimaced in a snarl.

Bishop had said nothing until now, almost as if he didn't initially see the giant mutant turtle in the middle of the walkway. Then again, he didn't exactly sound right in the head. Then his eyes met mine. Clouded, they seemed to graze over me before focusing on the dog who was still frantically trying to get away. Then, almost as an afterthought, they swiveled over to me once more. This time they locked for what must've been a full second before something sparked within them. He stopped, feet planted in a wide stance, offending finger suddenly jabbed in my direction. "YOU! You GODDAMN mutant, I will NOT let you try to take away my prize like your INFERNAL brother did!"

That, again, was the last thing I expected. My brother? Immediately my gaze swiveled to the dog. Was this what he was referring to? Did one of my brothers want this dog?

Immediately, selfishly, my priorities changed. No longer was I simply going to hold them back, perhaps make them lame to make them easier targets. Instead my focus was on that damned stupid dog. One of my brothers...for some reason my haunch was Donatello...wanted that dog for some reason. Stupid as it may be, I wanted it. I wanted what my brother wanted. Maybe, somehow, it would help connect me with him. Damn, I was an idiot.

Surging forward, I swung my katana, slicing the belt in a delicate swipe, taking off some hair in the process. The dog actually _flinched_, and froze while I swung, then seemed to revel in the realization of his newfound freedom as he launched into a gallop. All four legs working, he remained stationary for an instant while his nails scraped across the smooth floor before the pads of his feet finally got purchase and he slowly surged forward past me. It almost looked like he looked at me in gratitude, but that must've been my own imagination...no dog can think something like that.

Bishop sprinted towards me, screaming. "YOU GODDAMN TURTLES! EVEN NOW, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING! YOU AND YOUR FUCKING BROTHER! You ruin EVERYTHING!" His face was manic, eyes blazing, spittle flying out of his mouth while it curled into a snarl.

I steeled myself for his usual smooth, lethal moves, but instead he was sluggish and slow. Maybe whatever sickness that had obviously affected his mind also touched on his physicality. In any case, it was almost pitifully easy to knock him over. He threw a punch, but it was high and sloppy. I easily slid, rocking back on my heel in a low squat and extending my leg to trip him in a move that he truly should've seen coming. I grabbed his dirty jacket, using the momentum of his weight falling on the ground to swing my own body around and straddle his back, my katana blade pressed on the back of his neck.

"Where is my brother!" I was surprised at the snarl that came from my throat. Yet even as the sound came out I heard the ominous sound of the moans of the undead coming through the door, undoubtedly attracted by this idiot's shrieking. But I stayed on top of him, sitting on his spine, my knees pinning his arms to the ground. I pressed the blade deeper into his neck. Blood trickled from the bite of the blade, pooling on the floor. "ANSWER me!" I hissed.

He laughed manically, not even seeming to notice the blade piercing his skin. "Donatello thought he could figure it out! He knows why the alleles should match, but he doesn't know everything! He doesn't know about ME! About what's inside ME! I'm..." Something switched in his brain and his face went slack for a moment before his eyes clouded and he looked off into the distance, as if none of this was really happening. He started singing 'Old McDonald' under his breath, his fingers tapping the floor along with the beat. I stared at him incrediously. Was this seriously happening? I grabbed him by the nape of his neck and shook him, but his mind clearly wasn't here any longer. It had switched off. A goofy smile spread across his lips and his eyes continued to stare off into space, looking at nothing in particular.

I felt like screaming in frustration. My brother was out there, Don was out there! This ass knew where he was, but just my fuckin' turtle luck he was too damn crazy to tell me! My fist tensed on my katana and I felt the overwhelming urge to behead him right then and there. It's not like I haven't tried in the past. It's not like I've never wanted to. It's just that, having him helpless and drooling behind me...I couldn't do it.

Weak! That's what I was. I was just to goddamn weak!

Just then the dog skidded into view and darted towards me as fast as his slipping claws would allow. I stared at him blankly for a moment until he locked his jaws on my arm and tugged. My first reaction was to utilize the katana gripped in the other hand to 'make' him stop, but abruptly I realized that although his grip was firm it was also exceedingly gentle. He let go and gave me a petulant whine, his eyes darting behind me before meeting mine then jerking his head in the opposite direction in an obvious 'come hither' gesture. Then he stared pointedly behind me.

At first it was all I could do but stare. Was this...dog...actually trying to _tell_ me something? Yet when my gaze followed where his gaze was pointing I saw the zombies clear the corner of the shelves. Clearly getting excited at the sight of us their pace quickened. First one, then eight, then twenty, God, how many were there?

The children's faces flashed in my mind and I growled as I heaved myself off of the driveling idiot. I was so selfish! This wasn't just about me, about my brothers, I had these children to think about.

My broad feet finding easy purchase on the hard floor I sprinted out the aisle way, then down the length of the wall where Mark still had the door propped open for me, his frightened face peering forward. Silently I cursed. He should've just closed it and locked me in, at least then they'd be garunteed safe. I'll lecture him on it later if I get the chance. Instead I surged forward with renewed speed and grabbed the door frame, yanking it open enough to fit my large frame then for some reason held it open a second longer for the damn dog who was behind me because his stupid nails couldn't find good purchase on the floor. The first zombie only a few seconds behind him I almost slammed it on his tail in my haste to close the monster off. He hit the heavy door like a sack of potatoes, then immediately clawed at the smooth surface, moaning hungrily. This was swiftly followed by several more meaty thuds as others joined him.

Hurriedly we ran from the scene. Luckily all the zombies seemed to be concentrated on the entrance, drawn both by Bishop's noise and the attention of their comrades. The door, built to house expensive tools and thus keep out criminal activity, didn't even shudder as the undead pressed on the other side. It should buy us more than enough time. We scuttled along, using all available cover. Luckily we were getting to a more wooded area and the trees provided what we needed.

I was panting from the exertion of it all. Somehow I couldn't control my head as it constantly swiveled back to the store, where Bishop was undoubtedly getting eaten alive. Yet he was the only one who seemed to know about my brother, the only one who had a real connection to him. Well, other than this damn dog that I seemed to be 'blessed' with.

As Raph would say, this was turtle luck working true to form.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllll

Like I said (again) there are 2 more chapters to the story, and I have something to make it interesting:

**First:** I will let the fans decide which POV to do the final chapter in! Do you want it to be Don, Raph, Mikey or Leo? OR I cando it with an OC like Dickerson or Rintintin?

**Second:** I am seriously considering not completely ending this story. Extra ideas are popping up that can let me successfully continue. So I'll put it to a vote too. End it, continue it or sequel?

You have 2 more chapters to decide!

**Results: **Thus far I have 2 votes for Rintintin POV, 2 votes for Leo POV and 4 for 3rd person (THAT would be a challenge, but then again a challenge was part of the reason why I decided to put this to a vote!)

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

P.S. If anyone is interested I do have another story going on in Don POV called Light Purple Dark if anyone is in the mood for good old fashioned Blood/Gore stuff, you're input would be greatly appreciated!


	27. Undeserving

I don't own the TMNT

Good golly this one was hard! The end of this one I struggled the most with, which is ironic because I'm probably going to get a tongue lashing for the vision that made this ending LOL. I hope that it isn't too OOC.

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It took a moment to fully realize that we weren't being followed. The zombies were distracted with the noise inside, those who were coming were concentrated on the front entrance. None seemed to notice the turtle, the four children and the dog sneak deeper into the forested area. Even still, I silently signaled that no one was to make a sound a full fifteen minutes after I was reasonably sure we were safe. As soon as we were out of danger my adrenaline slowed down even as the events that had just transpired replayed in my brain.

"Don't _ever_ do that again!" I hissed, fists balled.

Mark blinked in slight surprise, his eyes wide. "But you were in trouble, I couldn't just-"

I whirled. "No, I don't matter. _You_ guys, you matter! When I instruct you to hide, to save yourselves, you _follow my instructions!_" My fingers palpated my scalp as I looked upwards. "I _never_ want to see you do that again, to wait for me, you could've been _killed!"_I shook my head and immediately started walking. My legs trembled slightly. That was the closest the children had come to a zombie since the escape from New York. I wasn't really mad but scared. Though, logically, I knew that they weren't that close to them, it was still too close for my taste. The last thing that I wanted was for the undead to reach them, for their flesh to be ripped apart…I shook myself to try to get the image out of my head.

After a tense silence the children followed, Mark trailing behind slightly. My hands shook. What was he thinking! It was all I could do not to scream at him in that warehouse store when I saw his face by the emergency exit, actually waiting out in the open for me, exposing himself...for me! Doing stuff like that was a quick way to get himself killed! I didn't come all this way, do all that I did just to fail them like I did the rest of my family.

That thought immediately trailed to another.

I've lost yet another chance. He knew where Don was, I should've made him tell me somehow. Maybe he knew about Raph and Mikey, God I hope that they're still alive! I had my _chance_ and I blew it. Failed again. When would I stop doing this? My heart ached at the thought of seeing my family again.

Even if I didn't get his location, why couldn't I just kill him? Why did he have to switch off his mind at that moment, turn into a babbling crazy guy? Why couldn't I bring myself to put just a little more pressure on my katana, end his life? It's not like he hadn't tried to kill us before. I couldn't kill him because at that moment he was more or less defenseless, but that didn't mean he would've stayed that way. I saw him 'switch' back and forth a couple times in that brief time. I sighed. Probably no use worrying about it, there was no way he could've escaped all those zombies, especially in his state of mind.

A cold nose in the palm of my hand broke me out of my thoughts. Swinging my head, I stared at the shepard who seemed perfectly content to stay with us. I narrowed my eyes. The way the dog acted in the warehouse store replayed in my mind. The more and more time that passed, the more it was becoming obvious that this wasn't a normal dog.

Once we started moving and the children read from my body language that the zombie danger was slight, they settled into our usual routine. All these days on foot made them accustomed to travel and although they were small their muscles were in peak form. So while I picked along, going slower than I would normally for their sakes, they silently whispered to each other, darted this way and that, finding harmless and innocuous things to play with and create imaginary games.

After reaching the forested area, my biggest initial fear concerning the animal was that he'd bark at things and attract the attention of any nearby undead, but that quickly proved to be false. Which was good, because if he did pose a threat like that I'd probably be forced to kill him, which would be unfortunate considering how happy the children seemed to have a furry animal to cuddle with. That wasn't the only action that seemed out of place, though. I've seen dogs, I know how I expect them to act for the most part. We were tromping through the woods, I could hear birds and other animals. For all intents and purposes he should've been darting this way and that, sniffing and investigating. Or at least looking at them, or sniffing them, right? Instead he stayed right with the group, most times by my side though every once in a while he would drift over to one of the children who seemed to delight in petting him.

Mark took pace beside me. We walked along in silence except for the sounds of our feet brushing against the grass and the occaisional giggle of one of the younger three children as they played some pretend game or something else. Dipping his head, Mark paused, stopping in his tracks. I stopped, looking at him for a moment before squatting down so that we were more eye level. Patiently I waited, knowing that he had something to say.

The other three children took advantage of the pause to pick up sticks and playfully poke one another, running in circles though still somewhat eerily silent so far as vocalizations go. It was weird sometimes how well they learned to read my body language.

Mark picked up his head slightly, just enough so that his eyes met mine through the shroud of his thick, dark bangs. "I'm sorry, Leo." His voice was barely above a whisper. As soon as he let it out his lower lip trembled and his eyes thickened with tears.

Puzzled for only an instant, I remembered the berating I gave him and ground my teeth. Damn, probably could've handled that better, but I was just so _scared_, I reacted without thinking. Which wasn't like me, normally. I thought for a moment, then realized that that was the first time I had ever spoken to him like that.

He was still the most sensitive of the group about being touched and handled, so I hesitated slightly before lifting my hand I placed it on his shoulder. He didn't move. Looking at him eye level, I swallowed.

"No, I'm sorry. There was a better way to say that, and it wasn't the way that I chose. I was mad at myself, because I lost a chance to find my brother. I just…" I let out a breath so that it hissed through my teeth, massaging my scalp with my hand. Mark looked at me expectantly, his expression solemn. Damn, this is hard! Why do kids have to be so hard? I looked at him again, taking another breath before trying to speak again. It was hard to find the right words. Putting my other hand on his shoulders I looked at him face to face. "The fact is, Mark, I got scared. I really care about you and the others…a lot. And the thought that something could happen to you…I…it scared me. I don't want that to happen. I would put myself in front of a million zombies before I let anything happen to you."

I looked at him, he looked back at me, his expression unchanged. Immediately I was crestfallen. I must've said the wrong thing. Stupid, Leo! Splinter did this with four boys, why can't you at least- My thoughts were broken when he jerked free from my hands and wrapped his arms around my neck, squeezing his body onto mine into a tight hug. I was so startled that for a second I did nothing, until my brain rejoined my body and I wrapped my arms around his small frame and returned the hug for all I was worth. It wasn't lost on me that this was our first real hug. I wanted to treasure it. We stayed like that for a long moment, saying nothing to each other, nothing needed to be said. We just sat there and hugged, feeling each others heartbeats.

The second I looked up my eyes met that of the dog, who was staring hard at us with his tongue lolling out in a doggy smile. I grimaced, the thing was beginning to get on my nerves. Sensing my movement Mark turned his head to look at the dog, though he didn't smile at it either. He was realatively cold towards it, like me. Turning back towards me he searched my eyes. "That guy knew where one of your brothers were?"

I smiled but it was a heartless one that didn't reach my eyes. If anything it was a reminder of my own failure. "Yeah. That guy knew. And I didn't get it out of him. I should've, though."

He was silent for a moment. "Why do you want to find them?"

I sighed. "Because I lost them. They might need me."

Mark paused for a moment, his mind seemed to process the information even as he slowly released himself from the hug although he still gripped my bicep. "Maybe the dog knows." He murmured.

My first reaction was to snort. Ask a dog! Really…then again…I looked at the dog once more. He had completely stilled, his ears perked up, looking at us…expectantly almost. It was almost as if he knew that we mentioned him and was waiting for him to call on us. I shook my head. C'mon, Leo. It's a _dog_. Then again, I was thinking how it wasn't normal, it was obviously smarter than usual. But to follow the direction of a sentence? Was it really that smart?

In a pessimistic mood I glared at the dog and said "I don't suppose _you _would know where he is, would you?"

He immediately floored me when his head moved in what I could only call a clumsy, sloppy, exaggerated yet unmistakable nod.

I'll admit that I stopped and stared. This wasn't supposed to happen, right? Well, then again, my brother _did_ want him, or so the half-crazed Bishop said. There must have been a reason for that, right? I squatted down and stared at him. The children immediately gathered around me, leaning on my frame expectantly.

They were no different than me. I could tell that they sensed that something was distinctly different with this dog. Now that we were in the middle of the woods, maybe he could tell us.

At first all I could do was to stare intently at the canine, almost as if I stared hard enough then something would pop out. I don't know. In a distinctly un-animal-like gesture, the shepard simply stared right back and allowed his tongue to loll out. Almost as if answering my mental query, he paused and, with some thought, gave me another distinct if somewhat exaggerated nod.

My jaw dropped.

His lips hitched up slightly in what I could only call a doggy grin. With that he got up and started to trot away. I didn't do anything, I simply stared at him. Did he want me to follow? Was I going as crazy as Bishop, actually thinking that this dog could have some sort of hyper intelligence? Maybe that's what drove him crazy.

The canine paused when he realized that we hadn't done anything. Looking over his shoulder at us he jerked his head in the direction he was going, an all-too human 'come here' gesture. My hand massaged my face, my fingertips resting over my eyes. This was it. Maybe I've been without adult company too long, maybe I really was losing it.

Yet then the decision was made for me. One of the twins, Anthony, giggled and ran forward, running his fingers through the fur on the dog's scruff. He was quickly followed by his sister Alissa and then six year old Sarah. Mark hesitated and looked up at me. Already the dog continued forward, the three children in tow. Mark shrugged and his lips kicked up in an unfamiliar smile. For a second, he almost looked like a child again.

Damn, I'm an idiot. I'm probably leading everyone to their deaths.

Feeling jumpy, yet pulled by the children and my own foolish curiosity, Mark and I followed the damned dog.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I began to recognize the area. The sight of it made my heartbeat quicken.

We were approaching Casey's farm.

Not voicing my thoughts, I looked down at the canine. He looked up at me, tail wagging, pausing patiently with me while I stopped to gather my thoughts.

We had been following the animal for three days now. Our going was slow. The children, even if they weren't slowed down by their much shorter legs, simply didn't have the energy to go at a fast pace. Somehow the dog was patient with this and didn't seem in a big rush. In fact he didn't even seem to 'mind' when I stopped to raid a farmhouse where by a stroke of pure luck they had an underground pantry that seemed to be untouched. After filling our guts I loaded everything I could fit in a huge gunny sack which I carried over my shoulder, though I had to shift it every now and then to pick up one of the children with my other arm when they became tired. Needless to say, _I_ was tired.

Yet as I saw my surroundings, then passed by the same tree where Mikey had to hide from the neighbor's pit bulls, new energy seemed to surge in my limbs. Then why did my legs shake so?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, holding it in for a moment before slowly releasing it. I repeated this deep breathing exercise several times, yet when I opened my eyes the anxiety was still there.

My brothers...At least Donatello. Bishop said as much, that he wanted the dog. I no longer even questioned how a dog could lead me here, so nervous was I. Why was I nervous? This was my brother...my family. Blinking, I looked down at the children who, except for Mark, had taken advantage of my stopping to play some sort of game with some pebbles. Mark stood beside me, eyes searching my face questioningly even as my own looked at his. I looked at my hands. They were trembling. I clenched them into fists.

Would he even recognize me? Would he want to? I had lost our family, these hands had killed our father. I had failed on all accounts.

The dog whined and gently licked my hand, his ears laid down on his head and his tail wagged slightly. Eyes clouded, I looked at him. His ears perked up and he let out a dainty yip, tail wagging a little more as if trying to lift my mood. I shook my head, trying to break my train of thought. Get it together, Leo. You'll never know unless you go there. They'll never truly reject you...at least to your face. But what about from within? Taking a deep breath, I signaled to the children to follow me and the dog, still looking back at me every once in a while as if afraid that I was going to turn tail and run.

Ridiculous as it may sound, I was tempted, at least slightly. It was as if I was trapped in darkness for so long that, given the chance to see sunlight once more, hesitated at it. But I couldn't, reckless as it may be they depended on me. Flawed as it may be they seemed to rely on what leadership I could provide. I _couldn't_ leave. Not while they needed me.

So I followed the canine, even as each step seemed to pull at my legs, the strain increasing the closer I got.

The dog was clearly agitated. For the first time since we started our slow trek he seemed to be getting impatient. I discovered why soon enough.

We crested a hill. The trees were far enough apart that I could easily peer through and have a clear view of what rested in the clearing below. I laid on my plastron for better cover and stared.

It was Casey's farm. And it was filled to beyond bursting. People seemed to crawl all over the place. There obviously wasn't enough room in the farmhouse itself so people were also camped out all over every open space in vehicles, campers and tents. The barn was full of people too. They had some haphazard tables set up with giant steaming kettles being set on them as people started to gather. I was too far away to make out what anyone was saying, other than hear a constant lowered murmur. My eyes searched the crowd, not quite believing what I was seeing. Where did they all come from? How did they all get here? How did they know this place was even here? It made no sense…

Then a familiar figure walked out of the farmhouse, arm in arm with April. The dog started to cry deep in his throat, his body quivering and tail wagging wildly at the sight of Donatello. My own heart seemed to stop within my chest at the sight of him. My eyes roamed up and down his body. He was fit, happy and smiling as he said something to April.

The only thing that could have made me happier was exactly what I saw next.

Mikey came bounding out from behind the farmhouse, proudly carrying a heavy kettle as he chattered nonstop to people as he passed them by. A smile nearly split his face in two. For all intents and purposes he seemed blissfully happy.

Then Raph came out the front door with a couple people, a skinny teenager and a Hispanic woman, talking to him. He was going over something in the teenager's hands, seeming to direct him towards something. The haphazard line for food was getting more disorderly by the minute, people jostling and elbowing each other. He glared at them and raised his hands, clapping them over his head to get their attention. To my surprise every head swiveled towards him and everyone quieted down. He angrily gestulated towards them, yelled something else, I could clearly hear the word 'stupid.' Looking sheepish, as soon as he finished speaking, the people got into a near perfect line while Raph practically slapped himself in the face in an all too familiar gesture of frustration. I could just imagine his growl.

It was more than I could've possibly hoped for. Not only were they all alive, they seemed to be thriving. For the first time they were moving freely amongst people, not just accepted but obviously on a higher position. My smile couldn't help but warm when I saw April arm in arm with Donnie, knowing that the quiet genius had always harbored a deep crush on her. Mikey seemed to be in his element. I could see what clearly appeared to be him flirting with a group of teenage girls. How come I had always pictured him as a flirt? Raph surprised me most of all, though. From everything I could gather, he appeared to be leading everyone here. Not only that, they seemed more than willing to listen and obey.

Then my smile slowly faded. Who were you kidding yourself, Leo? Of course they would be fine. Here you were, seeking them out because you thought that maybe they needed you when obviously the opposite was true. How well would they be doing if I was around the whole time? Somehow, in every scenario that seemed to appear in my head, they were not doing as well as this. Maybe they were better off without me even now. I've already failed them once, why would I want to put them through it again?

Mark sidled next to me, laying on his stomach. His eyes searched the scene. "Those are your brothers?" I nodded, my throat suddenly feeling too dry to speak. "Those…sure are a lot of people…" He bit his lip. I looked at him, but his eyes were still on the crowd before him. He seemed really apprehensive.

Sarah stared too, though like Mark there was no smile on her face. "I don't want a new Mommy and Daddy…" She bit her lip and tears started to pour down her face.

Startled I reached for her, hugging her to my side. "What are you saying?"

She buried her face in my chest, sobbing. "It would be better for us to be with people, wouldn't it? With two parent's, wouldn't there? But I don't want to!"

I stroked her hair, nuzzling. That had never occurred to me, but the thought of it chilled my heart. "Nobody said that you'd have to sweetie. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I'll make sure of that."

The twins Alissa and Anthony seemed hesitant too. It took me a moment for me to realize what was going on. They were all scared.

For so long it had only been us. The last time they saw people, they murdered their parents and savagely raped them, repeatedly for Mark and the twins. It took a while for all of them to work up to being comfortable to my touch, though even now they hated loud sounds. How would it feel for them to be surrounded by people, all making noise? Maybe wanting to give the 'cute kids' a hug?

"I didn't like my Mom much." Mark murmured suddenly, troubled eyes not looking away from the crowd below. "She almost lost me a couple times. Never knew my dad. I don't want to lose the parent I have now."

It took me another moment for me to realize what he had truly said and it made a lump start to form in my throat. Again I looked down at the crowd. My brain knew that, if my brother was in charge they wouldn't take the kids for a 'better life' with two parents, but my heartstrings plucked otherwise. Maybe it was because I was already scared. Scared of rejection, scared that I would fail them again, maybe end up with their deaths for real just like I did Splinter. Maybe I was just scared.

Either way, it was very obvious that they were thriving without me. I didn't realize how apprehensive I would be when seeing them again. So much had happened. So much had changed. I knew that I had changed a lot, common sense would say that they had changed as well. We weren't like we were back at the Lair. Maybe I just needed to think about it longer. They probably thought I was dead, they'd be fine thinking that way for at least a little longer. Give the kids a little longer to acclimate to the idea.

Or I could give some serious thought about whether I should come back at all. Whether I should come back. Whether I deserve to come back.

The dog looked startled when I stood up and slowly backed away from the farm. The kids immediately clung to me, Sarah wanting 'up' to ease her insecurities. He whimpered and whined, danced on his paws and cried. He looked at the farm, then back at me, then back again, crying long petulant yips. His expression was obvious: what do you think you're doing, get down there!

I shook my head. "If you want to go down there, go down there. You'll be doing it alone."

He looked torn, so very torn. He stared at me, his hindquarters trembling, breaths coming in little huffs between parted lips. Maybe he saw that I was serious, maybe he got bored, I don't know. Either way he abruptly spun around and sprinted across the space, though we were far enough away that it would take him a few minutes.

At the same time I turned around myself, every child touching my skin in some way, and walked away.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Ack! *shields herself from death glares* don't hurt me! The kid's thoughts was actually my 6 year old daughter's idea. I told her of the scenario and she asked if they were going to make Leo give up the kids, so at least the idea came from a credible source! The scene of Leo walking away is one I've had for a while for some reason and couldn't help my fingers but to write it.

Like you already know I'm taking votes to decide the next chapter's POV.

**Results:**Thus far I have 3 votes for Rintintin POV, 2 votes for Leo, 1 for Raph and 5 for 3rd person. Haven't done 3rd in ages (last time I did it failed), if it doesn't come out like I think I should I might switch back to good-ole 1st for the next runner up which at this point seems to be my doggy OC lol it's amazing how many people love that canine!

There is no doubt right now, I WILL be continuing this story! Driving the 2 hours to my university the other day I was savagely attacked by a plot bunny and I know EXACTLY what I will do so far as plot and story is concerned! Now I just have to decide if my story will have more success as a single huge story or 2 parts (i.e. a sequel)

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

P.S. If anyone is interested I do have another story going on in Don POV called Light Purple Dark if anyone is in the mood for good old fashioned Blood/Gore stuff, your input would be greatly appreciated!


	28. Reunited

I don't own the TMNT

So third person wins! Lets see how it turns out, haven't tried 3rd person in...7 years? Hope you enjoy the VERY last chapter of the story!

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllll

Rintintin dashed down the hill, every muscle straining, paws hitting the ground hard enough to send little shards of pain up his legs. Tongue lagging out, within a minute he reached the crowd. Several people exclaimed in surprise at the sight of a dog but he took no notice, deftly darting between the legs, surprisingly nimble considering his large size. His nose twitched. He knew who he wanted. His eyes strained even as his nostrils separated the trails of scent intermixed with all the others. When it hit his nose he made a sharp turn, nearly knocking over a woman, and made a beeline for the source.

The crowd was parting more and more as he tore through it, and by now he could clearly see his target, standing next to the red-headed woman.

There he was, Donatello!

Elation filled his heart at the sight of the turtle, happy in the way only a dog could be. He didn't even stop, simply launched himself into the air. Donatello turned before he reached him, eyes widening in surprise even as his face split into a grin. Fore paws connecting solidly with his plastron, the canine tackled him. With an _omph!_ Donatello fell to the ground flat on his shell. Tail wagging furiously he wriggled and whined as he preceeded to coat the turtle's face in wet, sloppy kisses, petulant whimpers emulating from his quivering throat.

"Rintintin!" April exclaimed, a smile splitting her face even as she covered it with both hands.

Surprised happiness bubbled within the purple banded turtle and he wrapped his arms around the wriggling german shepard, hugging him to his chest. "Rintintin! Good God! I thought that we lost you! I thought we lost you, oh, how did you make it out? Never mind, doesn't matter. You're here!"

Rintintin, though vastly intelligent, was like any dog, one emotion tended to dominate him at a time. Right now he was beside himself in doggy happiness, yet something niggled at the back of his brain. At first he ignored it, instead choosing to bask in the sudden attention and rough pats that sent his body into happy shivers. But his brain wouldn't let it go. It seemed to pop back into his mind, somehow peeping past the enormous well of emotion that ruled a canine's life. As soon as he 'saw' it, he realized that it was too important to ignore. His eyes snapped open. 'Oh yeah! The other turtle!' Abruptly his squirming increased, managing to work his ways out of the exuberant turtle's arms.

"Rin, where you going?" Don looked up in surprise, though the smile was still splitting his face.

He whined. 'He didn't know, he didn't know! I need to show him! His brother!' Stepping backwards several feet he danced on his feet, barking sharply. 'Oh, if only I could speak! Come here, dummy! You're brother's up there!' He barked again, letting out a long ratta-tat-tat of yips and yowls.

Thoroughly confused, Don took a step towards the dog. Still slightly recovering from the shock of seeing his friend again, he had to shake himself before taking another step towards the dog. He'd long since learned to listen to him. "Rin?"

Excieted to see the turtle start to approach him he hopped up and down. 'Yes! Follow me!' Rintintin nodded in an exaggerated manner, backing up to match each step his best friend took.

Two other turtle's stepped up next to his friend. His nose twitched, immediately detecting the genetic similarity in their scent, other brothers! Yes! My turtle mentioned those before! He barked some more. The more muscular of the two brothers jabbed a finger in Rintintin's direction, talking to Don yet not taking his shocked eyes off of Rintintin. "That the dog that I blew up?"

Don looked exasperated. "No...I mean yes! That's Rintintin, though obviously he didn't get blown up. It's so great that he's here, right?" Don was so happy, yet why was the dog looking at him so funny? He looked almost frustrated.

Mikey rubbed his head as he stared at the squirming, constantly yapping dog. "Doesn't seem very smart, bro. More like an overgrown chihuahua." he made a face at the dog. "Yap yap yap yap!" he mimicked, then chuckled to himself.

Rintintin growled, pawing at the dirt and barked again. 'Big dummys! Follow me!'

Mike looked at him again. "You know, I think he wants us to follow him!"

'Yesyesyesyesyes!' Rintintin performed another exaggerated nod, then ran through the crowd, barely restraining himself from performing a full gallop. He was going to lead them to their brother. 'They needed to know!'

The turtles stared at the retreating canine for a shocked instant before snapping out of it and giving pursuit. "Where do you think he wants us to go?" Mike asked, chasing after the dog.

Raph shrugged and followed after his brothers. "Only one way to find out." He growled. "Last thing I thought I'd be doing to day would be following a damned dog."

Don shook his head. "Cool it, Raph. Rintintin has never led me astray before. I doubt he'll start now."

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Leonardo stopped and laughed at himself, startling the children. It wasn't a happy laugh, it was harsh, sardonic. Who was he kidding? He couldn't walk away from his brothers, his family. No matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much he thought he needed too. Even from this distance, he could hear the distinct sound of the dog barking and his face kicked up in a smirk. Immediately he knew what was happening. Of course, the dog led him to Don, why wouldn't he lead the others to him? Deep down, he probably knew this. It didn't matter how much he wanted to leave, thought that he didn't deserve to be with his brothers, how sure he was that he would fail them yet again, he knew that it wouldn't happen. He knew that the dog would lead them to him. If he had been serious, completely serious, then he wouldn't have let the dog run down there.

Mark looked up at him with a troubled face. Leo could read some of his thoughts on his expression. He noddded. "Yeah, guess we're going down there after all."

Sarah whimpered and hugged his neck tighter, nuzzling her face into his neck. Leo tightened his grip in her, hugging her to his chest. "Don't worry, nothing will happen to you." Giving her a kiss on the cheek he set her down.

Excitement coarsed through the turtle. His family. It had been so long since he'd seen...anyone. At the same time the sudden unexpected nervousness made him slightly nauseated. He shook his head. It was going to happen either way. No matter how he felt about it, it was likely for the best that this was going to happen. He couldn't truly leave his brothers. Yes, he might fail in protecting them, but at least he'd be there to try.

He squatted down to the children and smiled, though the expression didn't reach his eyes. "Looks like you get to meet my brothers. I really hope you like them, I'm sure that they'll like you." He looked each of them in the eyes, especially Sarah and Mark. "They'll support any decision I make, so you'll be safe. I promise."

They crowded into him and for a long second they simply hugged each other. Leo's mind was racing. Should he go down and meet them halfway? The temptation to run still tingled in the back of his mind despite his resolve. He shook his head. Probably better just to wait here. Easier on the kids. Easier to use them as a crutch for that purpose, you coward.

Yet the decision, once again, was made for him.

The sound of barking, once so seemingly distant, soon got closer. It was followed by the shouts of his brothers. Leo's heart squeezed at the sound and without warning a lump formed in his throat. His brothers...his family...

He stood up swiftly, instinctively shoving the children behind him even as the stupid dog burst through the brush. The canine stopped short at the sight of Leo just standing there. Considering what he heard the turtle say, he was surprised that he actually didn't go anywhere, yet at the same time he was elated. Tail wagging so hard that it was thwapping his sides he looked behind him even as Michelangelo nearly tripped over the bush on his way through it. His foot had not completely cleared the largest branch of the waist high shrubbery before he looked up and saw his dead brother for the first time in a long time. Mouth gaping open, eyes wide, he started forward without clearing the branch and fell flat on his face, but that didn't stop him. Mouth still agape, throat working but no sound coming out, he crawled the last few yards on his hands and knees and tackled Leo by the thighs, suddenly giggling maddeningly. Tears gushed out of his eyes in a sudden downpour even as he shakily stood up and jumped up on his brother's carapace, wrapping his arms around his neck and squeezing hard enough the make Leo's face turn red even as he returned the embrace.

"Leo! I thought you were dead! Oh, I missed you so much! I love you! I love you so much! I missed you!" his heart seemed to well up with hot, torrent emotion and then shatter painfully again and again. It was so exciting, it was so unexpected, that he didn't know what to think except to not take his hands off his brother, almost as if he let go then he would vanish and would find it all to be a dream. This was more than he could have hoped for. For the longest time his family had been shattered, fractured, split, incomplete. Then they found Don and it seemed too good to be true. Then, although he held out a childish hope that his older brother was alive, his brain still told him that this was unlikely, that it was stupid to hold onto such hope. Yet here he was, in the flesh, right here, in front of him. It was more than he could have hoped for, more than he could have dreamed.

Raph was the next to burst through the foliage, but when he saw Leo he stopped short and froze, body too shocked to move. His mouth worked but no sound came out. Legs trembling, he resisted the urge to hit his knees and instead slowly, with small, careful steps, made his way over to his brother. His fists balled open and closed and his jaw clenched. "You better have a good explanation before putting us through all this shit Leo." They stared at each other for a long second before Raph abruptly, yet carefully, put his arms around his brother and squeezed hard, hiding his face from that of his brother so that he wouldn't see the tears already pouring down his cheeks.

Leo smiled against his neck. "Haven't changed much have you Raph?"

His breath caught in his throat before he let out a strangled chuckle. "Fucking love you, you damn idiot."

For so long Raph had tried hard not to think about the situation his family was in. People depended on him and although it wasn't at all what he thought leadership would be like...kind of hated it in many ways...it gave him a convenient mental escape from everything. If he threw himself into his new duties, then it was so much easier to avoid thinking about his fractured family. Seeing Don again was a joyous thing, but Leo was always on the back of his mind. They were the ones that clashed the most, the ones that had the most competition. There were times during their fights where he did things he didn't mean, say things that he regretted, but his pride had normally prevented him from saying anything. Those moments replayed in his mind and haunted his sleep. The thought that he died with those moments still there. That he had always fought him for the much coveted leadership, only to find that the responsibility and weight of his decisions were almost more than he could stand.

"I'm so sorry, bro. For not looking for you, for all that happened, for everything. I'm so sorry."

Tears now started in Leo's eyes as he nuzzled his brother's head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I failed all of you, I lost our family, it was my fault."

Before he could respond Don joined the fray, a smile splitting his face. "Oh, Leo, everyone was telling me you were dead! I knew nothing could kill you! I missed all of you so much. I love you guys." He was so happy. Seemingly such a short time ago it was just him, April, Dickerson and Rintintin. For so long he wasn't sure if any of his family was alive. He was never great at the emotional side of things and instinctively took care to busy his mind in order to avoid thinking of his family situation. It was easier, that way he didn't have to look the ugly truth in the face, that way he didn't have to consider the possibly devastating possibilities. Then came Mikey and Raph and now Leo. It seemed like everyone that had been lost, had now been found.

Leo wasn't sure how to think, he wasn't even sure how to breathe. The outpouring of emotion was overwhelming all of his systems. The lump in his throat was a painful rock in his throat that helped fuel the hot tears even as his arms embraced all three of his brothers who he was so certain that he had lost. The family that he had failed. He waited for the accusations, for the interrogating questions, for the harsh words. For everything that he truly deserved. But they never came. Instead he was flooded with love and happiness and he wasn't sure how he could swim the trecherous waters, that he could navigate his way back to sanity.

Splinter was heavy on their minds as well, but no one brought him up. They knew that Leo was the last one to see him, that he would never leave without him. Within their hearts they knew the truth. Although later they would inevitably ask the dreaded questions, for now they let the matter hang and hold onto the moment that they were in right now.

Tongue lolling out, Rintintin smiled, his tail thumping happily as he watched the scene. He restrained himself from joining the scene, instead choosing to snuggle against the children who were staring at the group embrace in wonder, the fear having already nearly left their eyes. Rintintin looked at them, cocking his head. He knew that they were damaged inside. But somehow, he thought, with this unconventional turtle family, that they would be just fine. The brothers would make it as well. As long as they kept this love together, this brotherhood, this family tie, they would all muddle through this inconvenient zombie apocalypse intact. Perhaps even all the stronger for it.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllll

First of all, y'all seriously thought that I was going to let Leo walk away for real? Mwahahaha! I just wanted to add in the emotional cliffhanger!

I don't regret writing in third person, but I don't think I'll do it again in a while. I kinda had to pull it out of me, though that might be because this chapter was intended for a kind of fluffy thing from the beginning and fluff has never been my strong suit anyway. I REALLY tried to get the emotion in there! I swear I did! I hope that I got it out at least a little bit.

I kept my promise, this is the last official chapter of this story, but I do have a prologue in the works! Bwahahahahahaha! Yeah. I know. Kind of conniving on my end but hey. I can be truly evil sometimes. The intention of the prologue is to provide an explanation of a missing chink in the story, as well as raise some more questions because that's the kind of evil person I am remember? Also it will give you an idea of the plot of the upcoming sequel.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

P.S. If anyone is interested I do have another story going on in Don POV called Light Purple Dark if anyone is in the mood for good old fashioned Blood/Gore stuff.

I'm also rewriting/finishing my Raph POV Hello Cruel World, mostly action and suspense type stuff. You're input would be greatly appreciated!


	29. Epilogue

I don't own the TMNT

Special thanks to HannahCake310 for helping to hammer out the details.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The hard floor was cold on my cheek but I didn't care. The musical song sang through my soul, reverberating in my bones. It made me feel giddy. What else did he have on his farm? I thrummed it out. E-I-E-I-O!

Figures moved all around me but I barely noticed them and drummed my fingers in tune on the floor. Roughly I rolled onto my back, staring at the overhead lights with wide eyes, the song suddenly gone from my brain. The light's…so bright. So high. Just like a fire in the sky. A night sky. My brain groggily shifted to the night. Beautiful. Cool. Lit only by the moon and the stars. I could clearly picture the profile of the city. The tall buildings. The surrounding bay. What city was that? I was stationed there, wasn't I? Yes. Yes, I was. But I knew someone there…no…several someones. Who?

For some reason my brain would not let this thought go.

With a low moan one of the nearby figures shuffled next to me, leaning over me to stare at me. The man had a putrid face. Probably an ugly person even before he lost his mandible. But while he did that he blocked the light above my face.

My brain was still on the New York night. Blocking the light…

Suddenly I could remember seeing figures run across the rooftops, their figures blocking the starlight as they passed before it. They moved like shadows. Stealthy shadows.

Four of them…

Green...unusual...

Turtles…

THE TURTLES!

My eyes snapped open and abruptly I sat up, nearly knocking my head into the zombie that was still inspecting me curiously. Clumsily he toppled to the ground, crawling away, interest in me lost.

My mind clear, I angrily pushed it aside as I strode to my feet, staggering slightly. My back ached. I had a cut on the back of my neck. Furiously my brain worked, trying to remember what had happened within the last fifteen minutes even as I cursed my own damnable mind.

Leonardo! K9232! He has the dog!

Emotions swamped strongly within me with such a sudden speed that it left me shaking. All my plans. Everything. Lost. AGAIN!

With a roar I kicked a zombie that shuffled nearby. He fell to the ground with all the grace of a sack of potatoes. With a new target in sight my eyes narrowed, my vision hazed in red. Turning I stomped and kicked at him, crunching this bone, getting through the rib cage, and eventually caving in his head with a sickening sound. Still the fury coursed through me. My first thought was to move to another zombie but with a sudden thought I stopped myself.

No, Bishop. You need to learn to control yourself. Don't let this be your defeat.

The anger was hot in my system. My heart thudded hard, pulse racing, the red haze still streaking along the outskirts of my vision. Snarling I closed my eyes, struggling to concentrate. Clenching my fists hard enough that my tendons creaked, grinding my teeth I slowly took several deep breaths, ignoring the mindless zombies that slowly started to gather around me just like the nearly equally mindless people they once were.

When I opened my eyes again I felt clearer, though the haze and the insanity still tugged at the recesses of my mind. Yet I was able to keep it at bay, though it was a struggle. One that I wouldn't win. That fact made it difficult. But I was learning control, when this all started I couldn't stop it from swamping me constantly. I wasn't even aware half the time of what I was truly doing, so much time and energy was wasted. Now at least I could leash it, albeit temporarily.

Slowly I probed my own mental faculties. How long has it been? I didn't even know that. Damn those fucking turtles! Why did they ALWAYS have to **RUIN** everything! Each time, before all this shit hit the fan they were always there, catching me where the authorities and my own government could not. Why did they not die with the majority of the other human population? Why did they have to survive? Damn them!

As the anger welled the haze in my brain got stronger. I wanted so hard to just give in, roll in the sweet release, allow myself to do as my brain wished. But that wasn't me. I was always aware of everything that I did. The very fact that I had allowed Leonardo to escape with K9232 so that I could sing an idiotic children's song was so infuriating...he was right there...

Once again I stopped and struggled to calm myself.

Control. I had to learn control.

First thing's first. I needed to get that dog. He was the key to everything. Then my army could be a true army, not this mindless mass of dead flesh. Perhaps he could even be the key to my own sanity. He could fix this infernal mistake that has cost me my own mind.

Turning on my heel I swiftly walked across the warehouse towards the back. I vaguely remembered Leonardo escaping with k9232 in that direction. The zombies slowly shuffled around me, every once in a while mindlessly bumping into me.

I opened the door and peered out to the long parking lot skirted by the beginnings of a forest. I ignored the urge at the back of my mind urging me to run into the woods for the sheer joy of it. That wasn't me. Not right now anyway. Damn my brain.

He went out there, I was sure of it.

Something tugged at the back of my mind, an intelligent observation that struggled to make itself known past the haze and the dancing insanity. The zombies...what was it about them that was different?

They weren't attacking, but that was common for me. It was only a few times in the beginning that I was actually attacked. Even then the attacks weren't with the full furocity that they were capable of.

I looked slowly at the zombies that were sluggishly, calmly gathering behind me. They simply hung there, listless expressions on their limp faces. The intelligent observation broke through. A simple question: _why_ weren't they attacking? All this time, I've never questioned it.

A smile crept my lips. I knew why. It had to be the solution, perhaps it would truly suite it's purpose. Would it work? In truth I hadn't tried before. As soon as I tried some of the modified solution on myself when it became clear that my so called superiors were going to shut down my progress...it was clear that I was not prepared for the havoc that it would play on my mind. A tragic mistake. But for the first time, I was wondering if it had truly worked and I never knew it. After all, I walked amongst the undead at the facility and none attacked me. For some reason, I had never truly considered that before. But now...they seemed to be following me. Maybe they had before, but I was never lucid enough to realize it.

Looking at the squishy, disgusting zombies I slowly backed up and walked, backwards, to the left across the parking lot. Slowly, with a definetly delayed response, they slowly turned and with low moaning sounds they shuffled in my direction before stopping several feet before me. They were following me! What else would they do? What else was the solution supposed to do? Damn it to hell! Why couldn't I remember! But never mind, I would remember, after all I hadn't even thought of the solution that I took until today. Who knew what else would come to me? The possibilities, the abilities that I have simply forgotten!

I shook. At first I thought it was because of the new realization, then I realized that my struggle was being lost. No matter, Bishop. One step at a time, get this out of you and try again. Perhaps next time I can maintain control for longer.

The haze was getting stronger, I couldn't fight it. But even as it enveloped me, the dreaded insanity dancing in my mind took control an intelligent smile played across my lips. If I could learn control, both of myself and of them, then I could have everything. More than everything. I could rebuild what I want upon this devastated society. It would all be mine.

Throwing my head back and spreading my palms to the sky I twirled and laughed, dancing upon my toes. A new song thrummed through my body, invigorating my very blood. How glorious!

"One little two little three little turtles! Four little five little six little turtles! Seven little eight little nine little turtles! Ten little turtles deaaaaaaaaaaaad!"

I danced and stomped across the parking lot, gleefully imagining their skulls crunching beneath my heels. What beautiful music! Twirling and giggling I leapt high into the air, leaping to my very fate even as my faithful people followed me, singing along with me with fantastic low moans.

"Four little turtles dead dead dead!"

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

THAT'S THE OFFICIAL END OF THIS STORY!

Hope you liked it. I have the sequel in the planning stages, I'm thinking of naming it Death All Around Us. If you'd like me to PM you when I post it feel free to let me know in your review.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think of the story! Especially now that I'm done with it!

P.S. If anyone is interested I do have another story going on in Don POV called Light Purple Dark if anyone is in the mood for good old fashioned Blood/Gore stuff, your input would be greatly appreciated! Also a Raph POV Hello Cruel World, action and violence


End file.
